The Federal Government has inaugurated a mini Rice Processing Factory in Niger State.
The Programme, under the Nigeria For Women Project; a World Bank Assisted initiative started five years ago in six pilot States to economically empower women.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, stated this while inaugurating the facility at Izom, Gurara Local Government Area of the State.
Hajiya Ibrahim said the programme would be expanded to all the states and FCT to further enhance the source of livelihoods for women.
In his remarks, the Governor of the state, Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State who appreciated the Federal government-World Bank programme noted that it will boost the financial status of many women in the state.
The Governor who stressed that a crèche has been constructed for children of women working at the mini rice factory promised to construct a five Kilometer road leading to the facility.
Earlier, the Project Task Team Leader, Nigeria For Women Project, Mr. Michael Ilesanmi, said four hundred and sixty women are directly benefitting from the World Bank assisted project.
According to him, women in all the Rice Processing factories under the scheme can produce two tons of Rice per day.
The six States currently enjoying the Programme with focus on local rice production are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Kebbi, Niger, Ogun and Taraba while in Niger State, the three Local Government Areas : Agaie, Gurara and Wushishi chosen for the scheme have forty one women affinity groups.
At the end of the programme, a cheque worth over four hundred and ninety million naira was presented to the forty one women Affinity groups in the state as operational cost.
