Abia Women Get N4m Grant As Chijioke Chukwu Expands Empowerment Scheme
- Chijioke Chukwu Foundation disburses N4 million to 20 women in Ugwueke as business support grants
- Each beneficiary received N200,000, while Abia Assembly Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu pledged an additional N10 million
- Chukwu said the empowerment programme would expand to include men in its next phase
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The Abia State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, has disbursed N4 million to 20 women in Ugwueke, Bende Local Government Area, as part of efforts to support small businesses and reduce poverty in the community.
The grants were provided through the Chijioke Chukwu Foundation and represent the second batch of its N50 million endowment fund.
Source: Getty Images
The beneficiaries received the funds during the annual August Women's Meeting at Ugwueke Secondary School, with each woman receiving N200,000 to support her business.
Chijioke Chukwu Foundation: How N4m grant was shared
Chukwu said the empowerment programme was designed to improve the economic well-being of women and provide financial support for their businesses.
He explained that the foundation would distribute grants twice yearly, adding that more than 300 women in Ugwueke also receive a monthly stipend of N5,000.
The APC chairman said the programme would continue as long as he remained financially capable of funding it.
He added that men would be included in the next phase of the initiative.
Chukwu, a former lawmaker, also urged the women to support APC candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He lamented what he described as the rejection of the APC in the last election and said the party had attracted development projects to the Bende Federal Constituency.
According to him, the projects include road construction, renovation of school blocks and installation of solar-powered facilities.
The APC chairman said the empowerment initiative was separate from the broader development projects he attributed to the party's interventions in the constituency.
Source: Facebook
Benjamin Kalu pledges N10m support
The Deputy Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly Benjamin Kalu, commended Chukwu for the initiative and pledged N10 million in additional support for the women.
Kalu also highlighted some of his interventions in the National Assembly, saying they were focused on improving the welfare and living conditions of constituents in Bende.
The latest grant distribution adds to growing grassroots empowerment initiatives in Abia as political parties and their leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
FirstBank shares N10m to help women
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that FirstBank has awarded N10 million in grants to female business owners through its inaugural Spark A Gem Challenge, a competition run under the bank's Women-Preneur Pitch-a-Ton programme, designed to unlock growth opportunities for women-led businesses in Nigeria.
The competition drew 356 applications from women entrepreneurs operating across multiple sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, education, food processing, and hospitality.
Eight finalists were selected and enrolled in a four-day entrepreneurial development programme
Source: Legit.ng
