…over 200 PWDs benefited in Ondo
In a major boost for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) across Nigeria, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has disbursed business grants to over 9,500 beneficiaries under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Social Investment Programme.
The empowerment programme, launched on Wednesday in Akure, Ondo State, coincided with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and aims to strengthen livelihoods among PWD entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the event, Tinubu said the programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which seeks to promote inclusive growth and shared prosperity. Represented by the wife of Ondo State Governor, Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa, she disclosed that each beneficiary would receive N200,000 to recapitalize and expand their businesses.
She further stated that every state, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA) would receive N50 million for distribution to local beneficiaries, bringing the total budget for the initiative to N1.9 billion.
“Today, the Renewed Hope Initiative will provide N200,000 Business Recapitalization Grants to 250 PWDs in each state and the FCT. In total, 9,500 PWDs across Nigeria will benefit from this programme,” Tinubu said.
Highlighting the RHI’s impact over the past two years, she said the initiative has supported over 100,000 women petty traders and small business owners, including PWDs, through financial grants. The programme also extends support to agriculture, education, health, and social welfare sectors and provides relief to victims of floods, communal clashes, and other disasters, including widows, orphans, and internally displaced persons (IDPs).
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“Our Social Investment Programmes have delivered essential support to vulnerable Nigerians, including food relief to 22 states and the FCT through the RHI Monthly Food Outreach Scheme. We remain committed to uplifting lives and expanding hope for those in need,” she added.
The First Lady announced that the Economic Empowerment Programme for PWDs would henceforth become an annual event, held each December 3 in recognition of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. She urged beneficiaries to use the grants wisely, describing the support as a “seed that grows into something greater; a business that sustains you and your family.”
Ondo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Seun Osamaye, praised the initiative, urging beneficiaries to invest the funds prudently. Similarly, the Chairman of the Joint Association of Persons Living With Disabilities in Ondo, Abiodun Olusegun, commended Tinubu for the programme and encouraged beneficiaries to use the grants to strengthen their businesses.
The grant presentation in Akure marked another milestone in the Federal Government’s push to empower vulnerable groups and promote inclusive economic growth nationwide.
