As a way of encouraging women participation in businesses, Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has hatched the plans of establishing a micro finance bank specifically for women, Hajiya Kulu Abudullahi Sifawa has disclosed.

Kulu Sifawa, who is the state commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, added that such noble idea will help women to be self-reliant by effectively engaging in business and trades of various dimension.

According to her, the Aminu Waziri Tambuwal led admiration places emphasis on women empowerment which was demonstrated by the huge money approved for the ministry in 2016 budget.

“Realising the cross-cutting nature of issues relating to women and children and the need for adequate funding for the implementation of the various programmes and projects aimed at uplifting the social-economic and health status of women and children in the state in line with the mandate of the Ministry, budgetary allocation to the Ministry has been increased in the year 2016 approved budget of the Ministry.

“A total of N102, 374, 846.70 for both capital and recurrent expenditures has been approved for the Ministry. This figure has almost doubled that of the preceding year and is the highest since the creation of the Ministry in 1997”.

While stressing that the government will distribute soft loans to women to help boost their finances and entrepreneurial skills, Hajiya Kulu divulged that, no less than 60 percent of the 2 billion naira Central Bank business development loan given to the state was earmarked for the women as a way of encouragement by the state government.