SHAWWAL 22, 1429 A.H.
MONDAY OCTOBER 20 2008
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KNSG empowers micro-finance banks …To develop agriculture
From UMAR DANLADI ADO, Abuja
IN its quest to eradicate poverty, especially among youths and women groups, Kano state government has planed to inject capital into the state micro-finance banks to empower them through providing loans to the groups.
The state deputy governor, Engr. Abdullahi T. Muhammad Gwarzo disclosed this at International Poverty Day celebration organized by NAPEP, held at Abuja.
Engr. Gwarzo, explained that all arrangements to actualize that have been concluded, adding that already the state government has earmarked the sum of N3 billion for accelerated rice production under the Fadama initiative in collaboration with foreign partners.
He reminded that the state government in the last five years, had procured and put to use 2,500 tricycles to ease the transportation problems in the metropolis at the same time, created employment to the teaming youths.
The deputy governor noted that the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), programmes in alleviating poverty within our respective communities, is in conformity with the Governor Ibrahim Shekarau’s effort and focus on human development.
According to him, under such arrangements, 15,000 youths and women have been trained in various skills and handcrafts and provided with take-off grant, in addition to 2,000 youths trained on computer training under the information and computer induction training courses.
Earlier, the secretary of the NAPEP, Alhaji Jibrin I. Zarewa, said the purpose of the meeting was to fashion out areas of strong collaboration between the local councils and the relevant stakeholders on the fight against poverty with a view to confronting the monster at the grassroots level.
He revealed that his organisation is implementing the village economic development solutions (village solutions), programme, where the local governments are to be fully integrated into it for sustainable poverty eradication at the grassroots level.
Speaking in an interview after the event, chairman, ALGON, who is also the chairman, Gaya local government council, Alhaji Danladi Isa Kademi confirmed that the implementation of the programme experienced a setback in Kano state due to political differences.
He said with the attendance of the summit, such problems that are hindering the state, had been solved, while the state coordinator has pledged to coordinate with the state government for the fully take-off of the programme very soon.
Others who spoke at the event, included the Niger state governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, while the Taraba state deputy governor represented his governor at the occasion.
