Gov. Yusuf Empowers 1,900 Butchers, Reaffirms Commitment to Youth, Small Business Development in Kano

Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State has empowered 1,900 butchers across the state through the Kano State Cottage Trade and Street Hawking Agency (CTSH), as part of his administration’s efforts to promote entrepreneurship, reduce unemployment and improve the livelihoods of small-scale business operators.

The empowerment programme, held at the Government House in Kano, attracted government officials, leaders of trade associations, beneficiaries and other stakeholders.

Speaking at the event, Yusuf said the initiative underscored his administration’s commitment to empowering youths and other productive members of society to become self-reliant and contribute meaningfully to the state’s economic development.

The governor said his administration had continued to invest in people-oriented programmes aimed at reducing poverty, creating employment opportunities and strengthening micro and small enterprises across Kano State.

He noted that several empowerment schemes were currently being implemented in different sectors, adding that more programmes would be rolled out in the coming months to ensure that more residents benefited from government interventions.

“Our administration remains committed to empowering our youths and supporting small businesses because they are critical to the growth of the state’s economy. We will continue to introduce programmes that will improve livelihoods and create sustainable means of income for our people,” Yusuf said.

The Director-General of the Kano State Cottage Trade and Street Hawking Agency, Abubakar Ahmed Bichi, said the empowerment initiative reflected the government’s determination to strengthen small-scale businesses and improve the welfare of traders operating across the state.

According to him, the agency has introduced several programmes designed to support micro and small entrepreneurs through capacity building, business support and other interventions that will enable them to expand their businesses and improve their incomes.

Bichi disclosed that the agency was also working to enrol street hawkers into the state health insurance scheme to enable them access affordable healthcare services, describing the initiative as part of efforts to provide social protection for operators in the informal sector.

He commended Gov. Yusuf for his unwavering support for the agency’s programmes, noting that the administration’s investment in small businesses was already yielding positive results in job creation and economic empowerment.

The event featured the presentation of empowerment packages to beneficiaries amid goodwill messages from stakeholders, who commended the state government for sustaining initiatives aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, supporting small businesses and improving the socio-economic wellbeing of residents.