By Eze Nkechi
The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), a grassroots scheme to empower women farmers and reduce poverty across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The initiative, which is supported by the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), was flagged off in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
Mrs Tinubu said that the Renewed Hope Initiative was in line with the President Tinubu administration’s vision to strengthen the agricultural sector and ensure food security.
She said the initiative would provide financial and material support to 20 women farmers per state, with a total of N10 million per state.
She also presented bank drafts of N10million each to the South-East First Ladies, who are the zonal coordinators of the initiative.
The executive-secretary and chief executive officer of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, said NALDA was committed to partnering with the Office of the First Lady to encourage women, especially the young ones in agribusiness.
He said NALDA had made provision for two million women under the programme, and assured the First Lady that NALDA would go with her all the way across the country to touch the lives of the people.
The First Lady of Imo State, Barrister (Mrs) Chioma Uzodimma, who is also the zonal chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative in the South-East, thanked the President and the First Lady for their support and commitment to the success of the initiative.
She said the empowerment of women would fuel the progress and building of a more inclusive and prosperous community.
The highlight of the event was the distribution of agricultural inputs to the beneficiaries of the scheme where 200 women received a kit that consisted of maize seeds, liquid fertilizers and herbicides enough to cater for one hectare of maize farm.
Another set of 200 women also received 25 two-week-old poultry birds, one battery cage and three bags of feeds that would last till the birds mature.
The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to the First Lady and NALDA for the gesture, and pledged to make good use of the inputs to improve their livelihoods.
The event was attended by prominent women leaders, including the wife of the Vice-President, Hajia Nana Shettima, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, the wives of the South-East state governors, the wife of the Chief of Staff to the President, Mrs. Salamatu Gbajabiamila, and the wives of the Service Chiefs.
Also present were traditional rulers, industrialists, women cooperative groups, stakeholders and beneficiaries of the scheme from all the South-East states.
