The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has distributed empowerment materials, including vehicles and motorcycles, to youths and women in Zaria, Kaduna State, urging them to use the items to build sustainable businesses.
Speaking at the event on Sunday, Abbas said the programme was designed to promote economic participation by equipping beneficiaries with the resources needed to turn their skills into productive ventures.
“This is not charity. It is an investment in productivity. The objective is not to make beneficiaries dependent on public officials, but to help them build sustainable businesses,” he said.
The Speaker urged beneficiaries to manage their resources responsibly, keep proper financial records, save part of their earnings and maintain their equipment regularly.
He noted that access to equipment alone could not guarantee success without discipline, commitment and effective business management.
Abbas also encouraged beneficiaries to form cooperatives to reduce operating costs, improve market access and strengthen their businesses.
He said empowering women economically would benefit entire households, particularly by improving access to children’s education, nutrition and healthcare.
According to him, equipping young people with skills, capital and market access would promote self-reliance, dignity and community stability.
Abbas said his interventions in education, skills acquisition and economic empowerment were aimed at linking knowledge and competence with employment opportunities.
He acknowledged the economic difficulties Nigerians were facing amid the ongoing reforms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, urging the government to ensure that economic gains translated into improved living conditions.
The Speaker also called on officials to ensure fairness in selecting beneficiaries, stressing that political connections should not take precedence over genuine need and merit.
He, however, urged residents of Zaria Federal Constituency and Kaduna State to support Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, alongside Governor Uba Sani and other All Progressives Congress candidates.
In his remarks, Sani, who was represented by the Secretary to the Kaduna State Government, Dr Abdulkadir Meyere, commended Abbas for his development interventions in Zaria and other communities.
He said the initiatives demonstrated the commitment of the Speaker and the state government to improving residents’ welfare and promoting community development.
Sani urged APC members to reciprocate the support by strengthening the party and mobilising voters ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Earlier, the Chairman of Zaria Local Government Area, Jamil Muhammad, said the council had sustained empowerment programmes for party members, youths and community groups.
He listed previous interventions, including the distribution of motorcycles, grinding machines and sewing machines to support beneficiaries’ livelihoods.
Muhammad said the latest programme would also benefit party executives and former executives, as well as groups involved in community and religious activities.
He added that the council would distribute motorcycles to selected groups to facilitate their activities and improve their operational capacity.
The chairman described the programme as part of broader efforts to improve the welfare of APC members and other residents.
He commended Tinubu, Sani and Abbas for supporting development initiatives across Zaria and other parts of Kaduna State, urging party members to mobilise support for APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
