Governor Sule hails initiative, prays grants grow to ₦250m for beneficiaries
By Roseline Okafor, Lafia
Seventy-five vulnerable residents of Nasarawa North Senatorial District have received ₦250,000 each in business grants from the Executive Chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), Dr Kassim Muhammad Kassim.
The empowerment programme, which provides a total of ₦18.75 million to the beneficiaries, was formally flagged off by Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi A. Sule, on Friday at the VIP Lodge in Akwanga.
Governor Sule described the initiative as one of the most significant individual empowerment interventions he had witnessed in the state, commending the NSUBEB chairman for supporting residents at the grassroots.
“This is about the highest empowerment programme I have seen so far where each person benefited ₦250,000,” Sule said.
The governor recalled that his administration had also provided financial support to citizens, while the Federal Government, through the Renewed Hope Initiative, had distributed ₦50,000 grants to beneficiaries.
He commended Kassim for what he described as a remarkable gesture and urged the beneficiaries to use the funds judiciously to strengthen their businesses and improve their livelihoods.
Sule expressed optimism that the grants would contribute to the expansion of small businesses, increase access to capital and stimulate economic activity across Nasarawa North.
He also prayed that the ₦250,000 received by each beneficiary would grow substantially, even expressing the hope that it could become ₦250 million for each recipient in the future.
Kassim: Beneficiaries Not Selected for Political Reasons
Speaking at the event, Dr Kassim said the beneficiaries were selected without consideration for personal relationships or political affiliation.
He stressed that the empowerment programme was not designed as a campaign initiative but as a personal effort to assist vulnerable residents facing economic difficulties.
According to him, the funds were generated from proceeds of his clothing business, which he operated to finance his education in Ghana.
“If I can make it, then others can also make it with this financial assistance,” Kassim said.
The NSUBEB chairman explained that the intervention was targeted at people who lacked adequate means of livelihood and were struggling with the impact of prevailing economic challenges.
He urged the beneficiaries to invest the money in productive ventures rather than diverting it to consumption.
Kassim said the objective was to enable the recipients to expand their businesses, improve their household income and provide better welfare for their families.
Another 300 People to Benefit
The NSUBEB boss also announced plans for another phase of the empowerment programme.
According to him, 300 residents from Akwanga, Nasarawa Eggon and Wamba Local Government Areas would each receive ₦50,000 in the next phase.
The announcement is expected to further extend the empowerment initiative to other communities within Nasarawa North Senatorial District.
Beneficiaries Applaud Initiative
Some of the beneficiaries who spoke with our correspondent, including Usman Mohammed, Peter Joe and Ahmed Yusuf, expressed appreciation to the NSUBEB chairman for remembering ordinary residents.
They described the financial support as timely and pledged to use the money for the purposes for which it was provided.
The beneficiaries also prayed for continued blessings and success for Kassim, saying the intervention would help them strengthen their businesses and improve their families’ living conditions.