By Dayo Johnson, Akure

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First lady, has empowered 500 women in Ondo State with a grant of N50,000 each, under the Renewed Hope Initiative’s (RHI) Economic Empowerment Programme in partnership with Tony Elumelu Foundation.

Disbursing the grant in Akure, the Ondo state capital, the first lady said that it was in continuation of the programme she recently launched in Niger state where she made a symbolic presentation of N50,000 to 50 women.

Speaking through the wife of the Ondo state governor, Mrs. Oluwaseun Aiyedatiwa,Senator Tinubu, said the programme was to support 18,500 women entrepreneurs with business re-capitalisation grants across the 36 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with N50,000 each.

She said “This Economic Empowerment Programme is about supporting the entrepreneurial spirit of our women traders and small-scale business owners who wake up each day determined to provide for their families, educate their children, and uplift their communities

“Let me emphasize that this is not a loan. It is a grant and a seed of renewed hope to help you re-capitalize your existing businesses.

“It is my firm believe that when you empower a woman, you empower a household, a community, and indeed, a nation.

“I thank the Tony Elumelu Foundation, who donated One Billion Naira to the Renewed Hope Initiative, to directly support 18,500 women across the Nation.

“Five hundred women from each of the 36 states and the FCT will be receiving N50,000 each to strengthen and re-capitalize their existing small businesses.

The first lady lauded the governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa and his wife, Esther Aiyedatiwa, for their support in executing all the programmes of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).

Earlier in her remarks, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Seun Osamaye advised the beneficiaries to make the First Lady and governor’s wife proud by improving their businesses.

Osamaye who is the Renewed Hope Initiative coordinator in the state said: It is not a loan but a seed grant from the Renewed Hope Initiative. We’ve never had this opportunity.

“This is happening to women under the leadership of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa and our mothers Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu and Esther Aiyedatiwa.We are immensely grateful for this gesture.

She promised to monitor the beneficiaries, across the 18 council areas of the state to ensure they use the grant judiciously.

The beneficiaries, thanked the wives of the president for the gesture and promised to use the grants to improve their businesses and livelihoods.