The Minister for Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, has provided 10 Point of Service (POS) machines, 350 bags of rice, 100 wrappers, and scholarship opportunities to 100 brides from Mariga local government area of Niger State. The empowerment scheme is part of the minister’s efforts to support the mass wedding initiative led by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulmalik Sarkindaji.
The minister also announced that bank accounts will be opened for each bride, with a stipend to be sent to them for six months to help them settle into their new homes. The ministry will provide skill acquisition training to further empower the brides.
The speaker and the minister clarified that the initial controversy surrounding the marriage was politically motivated and misunderstood. The Emir of Kontagora, Alhaji Mohammed Barau Muazu, thanked the minister and the governor for their roles in resolving the matter and empowering the brides. Medical tests were conducted on the brides, and the results were handed over to the minister’s representatives.
