Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed her commitment to women’s economic empowerment, saying stronger women mean stronger families and a more prosperous nation.
She made the statement in Owerri, Imo State, during the flag-off of the distribution of empowerment items to women across the five South-East states.
The initiative, under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in partnership with the Office of the Sustainable Development Goals, targets 500 women in each of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.
The First Lady said the nationwide programme is expected to empower 18,500 women, with beneficiaries drawn from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The women are being provided with equipment including deep freezers, maxi gas cookers with ovens, generators and industrial grinding machines to help them establish new businesses or expand existing ones.
In Imo State, however, the number of beneficiaries has increased significantly after Governor Hope Uzodimma provided an additional 2,000 empowerment items. This brings the total number of women benefiting from the initiative in the state to 2,500.
Oluremi Tinubu commended the governor for the additional support and encouraged other state governors to adopt similar measures to expand economic opportunities for women in their states.
The First Lady also announced a N250 million cash donation to the 2,500 women beneficiaries in Imo State, adding another layer of financial support to the equipment provided under the programme.
She urged the beneficiaries to use the equipment and funds responsibly to build sustainable businesses and improve the welfare of their families.
According to the First Lady, women’s empowerment is also directly linked to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5 on gender equality and women’s empowerment and SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth.
During the event, the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers also honoured Oluremi Tinubu with the chieftaincy title “Oso Di Eme,” meaning “one who supports her husband.” The title was presented in recognition of her role in promoting programmes and policies of the Tinubu administration.
Oluremi Tinubu further urged Nigerians to continue supporting the Federal Government, saying the country had moved beyond what she described as a “dark tunnel” and was now progressing towards economic prosperity.
