Efforts by the Niger State Government to empower over 75,000 women across the state have received a boost, with N1 billion in counterpart funds approved by the governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, as a matching grant under the Nigeria For Women Project.
The Nigeria For Women Project (NFWP) is a World Bank initiative introduced to enhance the livelihood of women in the state.
The approved sum by the governor was in fulfilment of his pledge to empower more women to ensure grassroots development during his visit to the Hazaka Women Affinity Group in Tufa Community in Gurara Local Government Area earlier this year.
Construction of 41 collective centres to serve as processing mills for the over 75,000 women registered under various Affinity Groups across Gurara, Agaie, and Wushishi Local Government Areas was at various levels.
Out of the 41 processing mills, 32 will be for rice, 8 for groundnut, and one for shea butter.
The Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Bago, Sadiq Yusuf, and the State Project Coordinator, Nigeria for Women Project, Bello Sarki, inspected the ongoing construction in the benefiting local government areas to ensure their completion for the launch expected to be held soon.
The centres, when completed, are expected to make many women independent and improve their economic status while contributing to food security.
A press statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mal. Bologi Ibrahim, said the governor had mandated the ministries of Education and Humanitarian Affairs to purchase the products processed by the women for the school feeding programme and other humanitarian services.
"The move by the government in conjunction with the World Bank will bring about unity of purpose among the women, make them socially and economically viable and independent, support their various households, bring about food security, as well as encourage the formation of cooperatives and thrift among them,"  the statement reads.