The Katsina State Government has distributed 720 “high breed” goats worth a staggering N104 million to women under its Women Empowerment Scheme. Each goat costs N144,000 ($500).
Abdulkadir Nasir, the special adviser to the governor on Economic Empowerment, disclosed this on Tuesday, August 2, 2016, in Katsina at the launching of the programme.
He said that each of 240 women selected across the 34 local governments would be given two female goats and one male goat.
The official said that the animals, which were purchased in Niger Republic, were of highly reproductive and good for breeding.
“Research has showed that the goats reproduce twice a year and give up to two liters of milk daily.
“The goats are also insured for one year and veterinary officers will be going round in all the local governments to provide medication to the animals if the need arises,’’ he said.
Nasir said that the animals were being given to the beneficiaries under a loan scheme and the cost was expected to be repaid after a year.
He urged the beneficiaries not to sell the animals and ensure their proper care.
Critics have raised concerns over the cost of purchasing the goats, wondering how much each goat costs.
However, Nasir also said that the government had disbursed N30 million to 1,890 physically challenged people across the state to establish small-scale businesses.
He said that the government had also empowered one physically challenged from each local government area with a shop, generator, charging board, recorder and N20,000 worth of recharge cards to engage in business.
The special adviser said that N340 million was also disbursed to various organised trade associations in the state, all in efforts to boost small and medium scale enterprises in the state.
Gov. Aminu Masari said that the loans were part of the N2 billion loan obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the development of Small Scale and Medium Entrepreneurship.
He said that loan attracted nine per cent interest rate and would be paid by the state government.
Masari urged the beneficiaries to utilise the loans judiciously.
