The federal government, through the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions/Empowerment of Widows and Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SBGV), has empowered 144 women in Benue.

Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, Minister of Women Affairs, who inaugurated the interventions on Saturday in Makurdi, said President Bola Tinubu is committed to the welfare of Nigerians, particularly women.

Ms Sulaiman-Ibrahim said that 20 women would receive N1 million each through the Social Impact Initiative of the Renewed Hope Agenda under the Women Agro-Value Expansion (WAVE) programme for smallholder farmers.

The minister stated that the gesture was to boost their farming activities and increase their income to make them self-reliant.

She said 100 other indigent women would receive a N50,000 grant each to scale up their businesses.

According to Ms Sulaiman-Ibrahim, 24 victims of SBGV in Benue will also receive support to heal and establish their businesses.

She added that through the ministry’s collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, they were also donating 400 bags of rice, 200 wrappers, 10 bales of clothes, four grinding machines, and four sewing machines to beneficiaries.

Ms Suleiman-Ibrahim said the government was also planning to establish a women’s economic village in Makurdi, the state capital, as part of her efforts to support women in the state.

The minister regretted that 26 years after the current republic, women still face systematic barriers in the country.

“About 26 years after this present republic, women still face political challenges in Nigeria. The representation is still very low. We are going to rise above our political challenges.

“Economically, we still face challenges too; women cannot own land in some communities, even with their hard work.

“Today in Nigeria, we have more female-headed households than male-headed households,” she said.

In his remarks, Governor Hyacinth Alia commended Mr. Tinubu and his wife for their overwhelming support for the women in Benue.

Represented by his deputy, Sam Ode, Mr Alia said his administration has approved land for women farming across the 23 local governments in the state.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Theresa Ikwue, commended Oluremi Tinubu for her support for Benue women.

Ms Ikwue also commended the minister for supporting the Nigerian women to regain their lost dignity.

(NAN)