JIGAWA State government has empowered 200 rural women in Buji Local Government Area of the state by handing them 600 goats aimed at making them self-reliant and financially independent.
As is the case in many states across northern Nigerian, Jigawa women are generally dependent on their husbands to survive. As part of a programme to end this culture of dependency, the Jigawa State government is looking to offer women means of generating sustainable income.
Ali Safiyanu, the information officer of Buji Local Government Area, said that the goats were distributed to the beneficiaries in the 11 wards of the area under the Goat Rearing/Breeding Loan Scheme introduced to empower women in the state. He added that the beneficiaries would pay back the revolving loan over a period of 18 months.
Mr Safiyanu said the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) women's leader, Binta Shuaibu, distributed the goats to the beneficiaries on Friday in Buji town. He said that the women were given two she-goats and one he-goat to rear, adding that the breeds would give birth twice a year.
According to Mr Safiyanu, the women would pay back the loan with three goats. He added that Ms Shuaibu explained that the decision to give the beneficiaries goats was because of their economic value and the simplicity in rearing them.
“The government decided to give the women goats because of its economic values, both the goat’s meat and its skin are needed. Since most of the beneficiaries are rural dwellers, to feed the animals will not be hard for them because of the availability of the animal feeds in their villages," Mr. Safiyanu said.
Hashim Ahmad, the caretaker committee chairman of the council, said the state government also distributed 20,000 improved fuel economy stoves for free to local food vendors in the local government. He added that the stoves were distributed under the state government’s Women Food Vendors Support Programme.
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