Gov. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa has launched a fresh N2 billion empowerment programme under the Poverty Alleviation and Wealth Creation Agency (PAWECA), targeting 40,000 beneficiaries across the 226 wards of the state.
The initiative, tagged “Fintiri Business Wallet,” will see each beneficiary receive N50,000 to support small-scale businesses, promote entrepreneurship and uplift the less privileged.
Speaking at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Yola, the governor, represented by his deputy, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, said the intervention aims to boost economic activities and create a trade-friendly environment in the state.
Farauta disclosed that more than 100,000 residents had already benefitted from previous phases of the scheme, each receiving N50,000, leading to tangible results such as a drop in the state’s poverty rate from 74 per cent to 64 per cent and measurable growth in GDP.
“This year, we plan to disburse another N7 billion through this wallet. Beginning from today, N2 billion will go to 40,000 beneficiaries, while another N5 billion will be disbursed to 100,000 beneficiaries before the end of 2025.
“Financial stability for our mothers automatically translates to family stability. It means more food on the table, better nutrition, improved health, more children in school, and a better society,” she said.
The deputy governor added that the Ministry of Entrepreneurship Development and PAWECA had been mandated to provide continuous follow-up and entrepreneurial support to beneficiaries, including “trader clinics” to build capacity in micro-investment, savings, and bookkeeping.
Dr. Michael Zira, Director-General of PAWECA, commended the Fintiri administration’s commitment to economic empowerment and inclusive growth, noting that the programme had significantly impacted poverty reduction and GDP growth.
The scheme, he said, would continue to strengthen small-scale enterprises and foster an enabling environment for trade and entrepreneurship.
