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Women and youth empowerment is very important because it fosters gender equality, promotes social progress and drives economic growth. Empowered women and youth are more likely to have stable incomes and contribute significantly to economic development in their societies.
This forms part of the driving force behind the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), a non-profit, non-governmental initiative spearheaded by Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu. The goal of the initiative is to improve the lives of families across the country.
The initiative seeks amongst other things, to provide support and assistance to vulnerable groups like persons with disabilities, youth, women, and children. It covers areas such as health, education, agriculture, social investment, and economic empowerment.
The RHI’s gesture of empowering the less privileged is a national program covering the 36 states of the federation. The exercise was delayed in Benue as a result of the infestation of the state by security challenges at the time other states were implementing the program.
The government and people of Benue State will forever remain grateful to the mother of the nation, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu for extending the Renewed Hope Initiative Women Agricultural Support Programme to Benue State, empowering Benue women and youth with Agricultural inputs and farm tools with a view to making them formidable contributors to Agricultural sustainability and food security.
Empowering farmers, especially women and youth will lead to more equitable and resilient food systems, increase income, and strengthen rural communities.
Those who are making mockery of the Benue State government for empowering Benue women with wheelbarrows and small holes should be schooled to know that the empowerment is from the Federal government through the office of the First Lady in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and Benue State is indeed grateful to be a proud beneficiary of this kind gesture.
Also, the motherly presence of the First Lady to condole with the government and people of Benue State over the recent massacre in Yelewata underscored her compassionate consideration and sensitivity to the unfortunate situation the state has been forced to live in.
Her consoling words and assuring presence revived the spirit of Benue people and gave them courage to remain expectantly hopeful for the good days of peace and stability in the land.
Benue State under the leadership of Governor Hyacinth Alia is committed to reclaiming her pride of place in agriculture, and the kind intervention from RHI and Federal Ministry of Agriculture will contribute in no small measure to achieving this set target.
The women, youth, and entire people of Benue State owe a special debt of gratitude to the board and management of RHI and Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for coming alive for Benue State with such a remarkable intervention. Our prayers and good wishes will always be for you.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Long live RHI
Long live Benue State
From
Hon. Scholastica Terngu Ben-sor
Benue State Coordinator, Renewed Hope Initiative/Special Advisor to the Governor of Benue State on Women Affairs