Senator Oluremi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu,
has launched the Renewed Hope Initiative-Women
Agricultural Support Programme, RHI-WASP in four of the
six geo-political zones of the country. The zones are
the Southwest, the Northcentral, the Northeast, the
Northwest. The programme is part of efforts to
compliment the steps being taken by her husband to
stabilise the economy through cushioning effect of
economic hardship in the country.
She said at the launching which took place at the June
12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital
recently is expected to boost agriculture and empower
women farmers across the country. Apart from that, 100
physically challenged entrepreneurs were given N100,000
each to assist them to expand their businesses. For the
women farmers, she gave a cheque of N10 million each to
the six states of Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and
Lagos in the southwest zone. Beneficiaries will be 120
women farmers in the zone who are into animal
husbandry, poultry farming and fish farming.
She said “The administration of President Bola Tinubu
recognises the pivotal role agriculture plays in
achieving sustainable development and ensuring food
sufficiency.
“Therefore, the Renewed Hope Initiative commitment to
supporting women farmers nationwide aligns with the
broader agenda to strengthen agricultural sector
“Today, we are supporting 20 women per state in the
Southwest with N500,000 each. To this end, a draft
cheque of N10 million per state will be handed over to
the first ladies who are the Coordinators of this
programme in each of the Southwest states for
disbursement to the beneficiaries.”
Tinubu implored the beneficiaries of the initiative to
expand their farming entrepreneurship, improve their
contribution to national and local food production and
serve as role models to aspiring women in the country.
In the same vain, at the launch of the Northcentral
zone of the programme in Jos, the Plateau State
capital, first lady also released N10 million to women
farmers in each of the states in the zone.
Twenty women were selected from each of the states in
the zone – Kogi, Benue, Plateau, Kwara, Niger,
Nasarawa, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) –
totaling 140 women.
In the Northwest, comprising Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna,
Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, held in
Birnin-Kebbi, the Kebbi State capital, Mrs. Tinubu
added something unique, which is capable of promoting a
healthy competition that will eventually add colour and
success to the exercise. She announced a competition,
called “Every Home A Garden”.
Hajiya Fatima Tajudeen Abbas, wife of House of
Representatives Speaker, who represented Mrs. Tinubu at
the event said the competition is meant “to encourage
each Nigerian woman to cultivate a garden at home to
feed the family and share with neighbours. We want to
see food on every table”.
The programme is packed with fun, a target at a reward
where the winner, according to the wife of the
president, would get N20 million star prize.
Also, in the Northeast, which comprises Adamawa,
Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe state, held in
Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the First Lady
distributed cheques to some of the pre-selected
recipients of women farmers and Persons with Disability
who are Small Business Owners in the state.
Hajia Nana Shettima, wife of the Vice President, who
represented the first lady announced that other
upcoming initiatives under the RHI include “Food on
Every Table” and “Young Farmers’ Club”.
