The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, yesterday empowered 9,500 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) with N200,000 each across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), amounting to N1.9 billion in direct business support under her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI).
The Federal Government has also ordered ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to fully comply with the mandatory 5 per cent employment quota for Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).
The First Lady formally disbursed the funds at Mambilla Barracks in Abuja with 250 physically challenged military and police veterans benefitting from the initiative in the FCT.
Mrs. Tinubu described the initiative as a reflection of RHI’s commitment to inclusion and shared prosperity.
The First Lady said the programme held a special significance for her as it coincided with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and was being implemented simultaneously across the 36 states, the FCT, and with the Defence and Police Officers’ Wives Association (DEPOWA).
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi, Mrs. Tinubu said: “Our nation grows stronger when every individual is empowered to contribute meaningfully.”
Quoting American disability rights advocate, Helen Keller, the First Lady added: “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”
She said the words served as a reminder that “a truly inclusive society is built when we stand together and create opportunities that empower everyone to contribute their unique gifts to our collective progress.”
Mrs. Tinubu said fostering a disability-inclusive society remained a deliberate pathway to advancing social progress, adding that this year’s intervention aligns fully with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“This programme aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, which seeks to promote inclusive growth and shared prosperity by ensuring that no Nigerian is left behind, especially those whose needs are often overlooked,” she said.
The First Lady highlighted the scale of support provided since the creation of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) in 2023, disclosing that its business recapitalisation scheme had strengthened over 100,000 businesses, including those owned by persons with disabilities.
“It is worth noting that, over the past two years, the Renewed Hope Initiative has supported over one hundred thousand (100,000) women petty traders and small business owners, including persons with disabilities, with direct financial grants to grow their businesses,” she said.
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