By: Ahmad Suleiman, Kano

The Federal lawmaker representing Wudil-Garko Constituency in Kano State, Alh.Ali Wudil, has empowered more than 9,000 youth and women in Wudil and Garko local government areas (LGAs) of the state.
The wife of the state governor, Prof. Hafsat Ganduje, who chaired the occasion in Wudil LGA, said the empowerment came at the right time.
According to her, the programme came at the time when government at all levels focused more on the development of the youths through empowerment.
She said that such empowerment programme would complement the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, especially as the majority of the beneficiaries were women.
“This is a great achievement because the empowerment programme targeted about 60 per cent of female beneficiaries who are more vulnerable, while the male beneficiaries are 40 per cent.
“N10,000  will be distributed to 4,000 youths across the two local governments to help them alleviate their sufferings by establishing their own businesses.
“Therefore, I advised you to use the opportunity to have something to do and say no to drugs. Such will also assist in boosting the country and the state’s economy,” she said.
Earlier in his remarks, Wudil said the gesture was part of his responsibilities as the representative of the people,  pointing out that more of such empowerment was on the way.
According to him, through his Ali Wudil Foundation thousands of youths, orphans, students and women have benefited from such empowerments, especially through scholarship and other gestures.
Unveiling the empowerment items, Wudil said that more than N200 million was spent, urging the beneficiaries to make proper use of the items and the money to earn a living.
He told the beneficiaries that “I promised you that the empowerment programme is just a starting point, as more of such are coming in the nearest future.”
The items distributed included sewing machines, generators, wheelbarrows, motorcycles, grinding machines, barber’s equipment and cash.
“The beneficiaries include people with special needs, hair stylists, sand scavengers, food vendors, students, motorcycle riders and also people with small businesses,” the lawmaker said.