By Ahmed Ubandoma
Jalingo, (Taraba) – The Future Assured programme of the Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Wednesday distributed empowerment materials to over 300 beneficiaries in Taraba.
The items include tricycles, sewing and Spaghetti making machines with some money to small scale traders.
The beneficiaries include tea and meat vendors, vegetable and sugarcane sellers, to boost their businesses.
Distributing the items on behalf of Aisha Buhari, the Adamawa Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Ahmed Rufa’i, urged the beneficiaries to utilize the items to sustain their life.
Rufa’i said the items aimed at assisting them to become economically self-reliant.
In his goodwill message, the former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Sen. Joel Ikenya, expressed gratitude to wife of the president for her continued support to the people of the state.
Ikenya urged the beneficiaries to support Federal Government’s efforts to fight corruption, insecurity and improve the economy, especially the ongoing work at Mambilla hydroelectric power project.
Some of the beneficiaries, who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), expressed happiness for the kind gesture.
A beneficiary, Mrs Aishatu Kabiru, who received a sewing machine, described the gesture as “giving hope to the hopeless’’.
“I see this gesture as giving hope to the hopeless because I was a complete businesswoman but when my business liquidated earlier this year, I have nothing to hold back to, except this sewing machine.
” So, I have nothing to pay back to Aisha Buhari but prayers, May Almighty God provide her with good health and ability to continue with the task of assisting the less privileged, ” she said.
Another beneficiary, who received a tricycle, Mr Geoffrey Donald, also described the gesture as “surprising”.
“When I was called to come and receive this KEKE, I didn’t believe it, until the key was finally handed over to me.
“On behalf of my family, we are sincerely grateful to Aisha Buhari and may God Almighty guide and protect her children,’’ he said.
A beneficiary who received some amount of money, Mr Anas Dahiru, and spoke on behalf of vegetable and sugarcane sellers, said the money would assist them to support their business.
“The gesture means a lot to my life. For the wife of the president to come down to our aid, it means we are relevant in Nigeria,” he said. (NAN)
