Over N8 billion has been released by the Katsina State Government as counterpart funding for the Nigeria for Women Programm Scale-Up, which is expected to benefit at least 800,000 women across the state.
This was revealed by Mr Michael Ilesanmi, Senior Social Development Specialist and Task Team Leader while briefing newsmen at the Government House Press Centre in Katsina on Friday.
He emphasised that the N8.5 billion represented actual releases made by the state government over the past two years, stressing that the amount was not a mere budgetary provision but funds already released as counterpart financing.
Towards complementing the state government’s efforts, he affirmed that the World Bank would provide an additional 15 million dollars to support the programme’s implementation in the state.
Ilesanmi explained that the programme seeks to mobilise poor and vulnerable women into affinity groups and link them with finance, markets and productive opportunities, adding that the state government’s commitment had allowed the programme to expand from six proposed pilot LGAs to all 34 LGAs.
“The expansion would raise the number of beneficiaries from the initial projection of 150,000 women to at least 800,000”, he said, adding that the programme is designed to improve women’s financial inclusion through financial literacy, planning, savings mobilisation and partnerships with financial service providers.
The Task Team Leader commended the Katsina Government for taking ownership of the programme and expanding it, describing Katsina as a flagship state for the Nigeria for Women Programme for its commitment to the intervention.
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Aminu-Malumfashi said the state will commence the disbursement of the Community Investment Fund on October 4.
Aisha Aminu-Malumfashi, who stated that the programme began as a pilot in Katsina, Funtua and Daura LGAs before expanding to other areas, said women were organised into Women Affinity Groups comprising 25 members and trained in savings, financial literacy and enterprise development.
The Commissioner maintained that the Community Investment Fund would enable groups to invest in economic activities and strengthen their livelihoods.
