A total of 40 female farmers in Delta, on Thursday, received grants worth N10 million to boost their agro-businesses under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) of the Wife of the President, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu.
Also, no fewer than 1,200 indigent households received food items, courtesy of the president’s wife and the state Governor’s Wife, Mrs Tobore Oborevwori, in Asaba.
The items were provided by RHI, in collaboration with the “You Matter Charity Foundation”, an initiative of the governor’s wife.
In a speech at the disbursement in Asaba, Oborevwori said that the gesture was intended to mitigate the hardship currently facing Nigerians.
According to her, RHI is concerned about the plight of Nigerians and will continue to attend to their welfare.
She said that as the state Coordinator of RHI, she ensured that the beneficiaries were carefully selected from the 25 Local Government Areas of the state.
She further said that her husband, Gov. Sheriff Oborevwori, supported with more than 1,000 cartons of noodles, cooking oil, seasonings and salt.
She said the items were in addition to the bags of rice received from the Federal Government.
Oborevwori encouraged the people of Delta not to lose hope in the face of the present harsh economic reality, but stay aloft their situation through prayers and acts of charity.
She also encouraged the women farmers, who received a quarter of a million each, to utilise the cash grant wisely to secure their businesses.
“Do not eat your seed so that you can be sure of a harvest tomorrow,” the Delta first lady said.
She also advised the people to lend a helping hand to those around them to help cushion the harsh effects of the difficult times.
In separate goodwill messages, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Mrs Pat Ajudua, commended the president’s wife and that of Delta governor for their acts of kindness.
Ajudua said, “The disbursement and distribution are testaments to the impact of collaboration and partnerships.”
Also, the Commissioner for Humanitarian Support Services and Girl Child Development, Ms Orode Uduaghan, thanked the first ladies for their acts of compassion.
Uduaghan also advised the beneficiaries to make judicious use of what they got.
One of the farmers from Ozorro in Isoko North, Hope Egbogbare, who got a quarter of a million naira, said that she did not expect such a huge sum of money at this point in her life.
Egbogbare said that the money would be utilised to expand her poultry business.
On her part, Mrs Justina Emelue, who received food items, said that the items would provide big reprieve to her family “now that things are very expensive in the market.” (NAN)
