Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has announced plans by his government to recruit female holders of National Certificate of Education, NCE, to teach in public primary schools across the state.
He stated that already, females with such qualification have been directed to submit their credentials to their local governments of origin for authentication.
The governor, announced this during the graduation of 500 women, trained under the Gandujen Kanawa Economic Empowerment Initiative, promoted by a philanthropist, Hajiya Binta Sani Danmaijuju and supported by the state government.
He further stated that the administration would soon enlist youthful women for training on auto mechanics and allied areas, alongside their male counterparts, at Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Training Center, Kaduna.
Governor Ganduje maintained that the aim is part of strategies to give them the skills and confidence necessary to be self employed, maintain more comfortable lifestyles, and standardize homes for themselves and their children.
He recalled that about two weeks ago, the state government recruited many females among its new tax officers, while many empowerment programmes have been initiated for various categories of women in the state in the past 21 months.
“Women empowerment helps women to stand on their own legs, become independent and also to earn for their family which stimulates the economy”, he stated.
According to the governor, “to empower a woman means to reduce poverty. Sometimes, the money earned by the husband is not sufficient to meet the demands of the family. The added earnings of women helps the family to address the issue of poverty”.
The governor, therefore, thanked Hajiya Binta Sani Danmaijuju for initiating the empowerment programme for women, assuring that the government would continue to support her towards giving hope to less privileged women.
In her remarks, the initiator of the Gandujen Kanawa Economic Empowerment Initiative, Hajiya Binta Sani Danmaijuju, said the 500 beneficiaries were trained for three weeks on Bed sheet making, Beads and Jewelry design, Hair dressing, Cosmetics making, Photography, soap making and Video coverage among others.
Highlights of the occasion include the presentation of N10, 000 to each of the artisans, by the Kano state government as well as an exhibition of wares and products made by beneficiaries of the empowerment programme.