In commemoration of the 2025 World Disability Day, no fewer than 250 Ogun residents living with disabilities, including veterans from security agencies, have received a financial support of N200,000 each to boost their businesses.
The economic empowerment themed, “Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress” was held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta on Wednesday.
DAILY POST reports that this is one of the pillars of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) of the First Lady of the Federation, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
Mrs Tinubu who was represented by the Ogun State First Lady and the State Coordinator for RHI, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, noted that the programme aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which sought to promote inclusive growth and shared prosperity, ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind.
She said, “Today, the Renewed Hope Initiative will provide the sum of N200, 000 as business recapitalization grants to 250 persons with disabilities in each state and the FCT.
The Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Associations will each receive N50 million to be distributed to beneficiaries in their respective domains,” she added.
The First Lady added that over the past two years, RHI had supported over 100,000 women, petty traders, and small business owners, including persons with disabilities, through direct financial interventions aimed at expanding their enterprises, urging the beneficiaries to use the grants to grow their businesses into sustainable ventures that could support their families.
In her welcome address, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, disclosed that her Ministry was working closely with the State House of Assembly to improve the welfare of persons with disabilities, noting that a motion mandating the presence of sign language interpreters in all MDAs had been passed.
“Your stories and daily perseverance inspire the policies we design and reinforce our resolve to ensure that every state, school, workplace and community fully welcomes you,” the Commissioner stated.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Ebenezer Adeniyi and Mrs. Temitope Oladipupo expressed gratitude to Senator Tinubu and Mrs Abiodun for the financial support, describing the grant as a lifeline and promising to use it judiciously.