The Fintiri Business Wallet 2nd Quarter Funds: An Alternative
Dear Governor Fintiri,
The plan to give 50,000 Naira grants to 10,000 Adamawa women in businesses, as revealed by Mr. Michael Zira, the D. G. of the State’s Poverty Alleviation And Wealth Creation Agency, needs a rethink. History has shown that such cash handouts are not effective in lifting people out of poverty or creating sustainable wealth. We have seen this approach fail before, like during the ‘Trader Moni’ program under President Buhari.
While it had good intentions, it faced several problems. Many people used the money for immediate needs instead of business growth, leading to short-term relief but no lasting impact. The small loan amounts were often not enough to make a significant difference, and without proper training and support, many traders struggled to manage and invest the money wisely.
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In contrast, investing in projects that establish firms and businesses can create more sustainable economic growth and job opportunities. Building small Agro-processing centers, supporting small business hubs, setting up vocational training centers, and promoting cooperative farming can have a much bigger impact. These projects provide long-term support, skills training, and create jobs, helping people become self-sufficient and boosting the local economy.
It is against this background that I am writing to present a comprehensive proposal for the utilization of the Fintiri Business Wallet 2nd Quarter funds, amounting to ₦500,000,000, aimed at empowering 10,000 women across Adamawa State and creating sustainable job opportunities. This proposal outlines four key projects that can significantly improve the economic well-being of our women and contribute to the overall development of the state.
1st Project: Agro-Processing Centers
Why not budget 200,000,000 Naira out of the total sum to establish small-scale Agro-processing centers capturing the 21 LGAs in the State to add value to agricultural products such as maize, rice, groundnuts, and tomatoes.
We can achieve this by purchase and installation of processing machines, training programs for women on how to operate the machines, creation of distribution networks for the processed products.
I am positive utilizing this amount will help in creating 2,000 jobs (including machine operators, trainers, and managers) for our women.
2nd Project: Small Business Support Hub
Next is for us to use 150,000,000 Naira of the total amounts to support women entrepreneurs in starting and scaling their businesses.
I thought we can achieve this by establishing a business incubator providing office space, mentorship, and business development services, offer microloans and grants to promising business ideas, conduct workshops on business management, marketing, and finance for women.
Implementing this will help in the support of 500 new businesses, potentially creating around 3,000 jobs.
3rd Project: Vocational Training Centers
We can take 100,000,000 Naira to be used specifically to equip women with skills in trades such as tailoring, hairdressing, catering, and IT.
Here is how we can deploy these: Set up vocational training centers in the 21 LGAs of the state, develop comprehensive training curricula, partner with local businesses for apprenticeship opportunities.
This way, we can train 3,000 women, with an expected 2,500 gaining immediate employment or starting their own businesses.
4th Project: Cooperative Farming Initiatives
The remaining 50,000,000 Naira can be used to promote cooperative farming among women to increase agricultural productivity and income.
I was thinking of the formation and registration of women’s farming cooperatives, provision seeds, fertilizers, and farming equipment, facilitation of access to markets and fair pricing for produce.
Achieving this will get about 2,500 rural women directly in cooperative farming.
Strategy
1. We must conduct a needs assessment to identify specific areas and types of support required across the 21 LGAs.
2. There’s the need to collaborate with local governments, NGOs, and private sector partners for additional support and expertise.
3. Establish a robust M&E framework to track progress, ensure transparency, and measure impact.
4. Regularly engage with communities to ensure projects meet their needs and to gather feedback for continuous improvement.
What we stand to gain:
Firstly, economic empowerment: this proposal will help in enhancing the economic status of 10,000 women, leading to improved livelihoods and community development, we also stand to create approximately 7,500 jobs, with additional indirect employment opportunities.
Secondly, sustainable development: attaining sustainable economic growth through value addition, SME development, skills training, and cooperative farming. Yes, by strategically allocating the 500,000,000 Naira budget across these projects, we can make significant strides in job creation and women’s empowerment, contributing to overall economic growth and stability of our state.
Sincerely,
Calvin Anadio Lawan.