Women In Business • Created November 3, 2016 02:00

NGO disbursed N1.7bn to women, youths to boost agric, solid minerals

The president and founder of an NGO, Quintessential Business Women Association (QBWA), Mrs Shimite Bello,says out of the N2.4 billion given to them by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) about N1.7 billion has been disbursed to support women and youths cooperatives in the agricultural and solid minerals sector across the country. Speaking during the […]

NGO disbursed N1.7bn to women, youths to boost agric, solid minerals
NGO disbursed N1.7bn to women, youths to boost agric, solid minerals

The president and founder of an NGO, Quintessential Business Women Association (QBWA), Mrs Shimite Bello,says out of the N2.4 billion given to them by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) about N1.7 billion has been disbursed to support women and youths cooperatives in the agricultural and solid minerals sector across the country.
Speaking during the group’s annual event on cooperative career conference and exhibition tagged ‘Affirmative Finance Action for Women and Youths in Agriculture and Solid Minerals’, she said the organisation assists women and youths to grow their businesses and improve their livelihoods.
She said the QBWA has over 300,000 members in co-operatives across the country adding that the states that benefited include Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta, Cross River, Adamawa, Niger, Taraba, Kaduna, Imo, Ekiti and Zamfara.
Mrs Judith Tanko, the Director-General of QBWA, said the aim of the conference was to bring all stakeholders in the sectors as well as the QBWA coordinators from the 36 states and FCT to discuss the role of international development partners, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as well as the role of financial institutions in assisting women and youths in the sectors.
“Since we started Quintessential in 2013, we have achieved a lot. Today, we have women at the grassroots who are registered in various financial institutions and know how to ask for interest, including understanding the type of loan which can be beneficial to them as cooperatives,” Tanko said.
Miss Keke Bongos, a consultant in the Ministry of Agriculture who represented the minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh, noted that it was a laudable programme for the women and youths at the grassroots.
“It would add value by helping establish cottage industries within the communities whereby they would have full and proper ownership of these industries,” she said.

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