By Lekan Balogun

The Federal Government has begun the disbursement of a N20,000 cash grant to rural women in Imo State to enable them start small businesses with a view to alleviating their sufferings.

The flag off of the event began on Thursday the 3rd of December in the Imo State capital, Owerri.

While flagging off the disbursement at the Ahiajioku Center in Owerri, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, informed over 200 beneficiaries that 150,000 rural women across the 36 states of the federation would also benefit from the programme adding that the grant for rural women programme was introduced in 2020 by her Ministry as part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s social Inclusion and poverty reduction agenda.

Hon Farouq, also explained that the agenda included the realization of the national aspiration of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.

The cash grant for rural women is designed to provide a one-off grant to some of the poorest and most vulnerable women in rural Nigeria.

The special adviser to the Imo state Governor on SDGs and Humanitarian services, Hon. Princess Christina Ude, who headed the event thanked President Buhari for remembering the vulnerable at a difficult time like this.

Mrs Ude also stated that the one off cash grant is expected to increase access to financial capital for rural women which is required for economic activities.

“It is my hope that the beneficiaries of this special cash grant will make good use of the money, increase their income, better their food security, and generally contribute towards improving their standard of living”, she said.