Benue South left out as First Lady Remi Tinubu splashes N100m on women in Zones A, B

Questions are being raised in Benue South following the decision of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to allocate a ₦100 million empowerment grant exclusively to women in Benue North-East (Zone A) and Benue North-West (Zone B), with no beneficiary communities announced from Benue South (Zone C), IDOMA VOICE reports. 

During her visit to Benue State on Tuesday, Mrs. Tinubu unveiled a ₦100 million grant for 2,000 petty traders under the Renewed Hope Initiative, aimed at supporting women-owned businesses and boosting grassroots economic activities.

Speaking at the inauguration of a Community Information and Technology Centre in Ihugh, Vandeikya Local Government Area, the First Lady announced that ₦50 million would be distributed to 1,000 women in Vandeikya, located in Benue North-East Senatorial District (Zone A), while another ₦50 million would go to 1,000 women in Makurdi and surrounding communities in Benue North-West Senatorial District (Zone B).

IDOMA VOICE observed that notably absent from the intervention was Benue South Senatorial District (Zone C), comprising the nine local government areas of Ado, Agatu, Apa, Ohimini, Okpokwu, Ogbadibo, Otukpo, Obi and Oju.

Beyond the cash grants, the First Lady’s official engagements during the visit were concentrated in Zones A and B.

In Vandeikya, she inaugurated the Community Information and Technology Centre built in partnership with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), while in Makurdi she commissioned an 11.5-kilometre road project, with one of the roads named in her honour.

No project commissioning or empowerment programme was announced for any part of Benue South during the visit.

Mrs. Tinubu said the ICT centres were designed to bridge the digital divide and create opportunities for women and young people through technology.

“The knowledge of ICT serves as a significant tool for empowering communities, especially women, and will enable them to break new opportunities and enhance youths in their educational prospects in the global economy,” she said.

Benue currently hosts four ICT centres under the initiative, while similar facilities have been established in several states across the federation.

Governor Hyacinth Alia, who accompanied the First Lady, described the ICT centre as a transformational facility that would promote entrepreneurship, e-marketing and innovation among young people.

However, the absence of Benue South from both the empowerment package and project commissioning activities has sparked discussions among residents of the district, many of whom argue that the zone deserved inclusion in programmes of such statewide significance.