500 Calabar Market Women Receive N50,000 Each From Tinubu’s Wife

Five hundred market women and small business owners in Calabar, Cross River State, have received N50,000 each from the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to support their businesses.

The beneficiaries received the financial assistance during a market outreach organised by the First Lady through Dr Betta Edu, which attracted more than 5,000 women from different markets across the city.

Edu said the intervention was intended to help small-scale traders replenish their stocks, expand their businesses and improve their ability to support their families.

“For many of the beneficiaries who struggle to keep a business of N10,000 alive, it can mean fresh stock, a bigger business, renewed hope and another opportunity to provide for her family,” she said.

Beyond the cash grants, the women received gift items, including deep freezers, blenders, toasters and luxury dresses. Some participants also won financial grants through a dance competition organised at the event.

The outreach, however, also served as a political mobilisation exercise for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu, as participants danced, celebrated and offered prayers for the President.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Hogan Bassey, who won a deep freezer, expressed appreciation to the President and the First Lady.

“God bless you, Mr President. Cross River will vote for you and Sweet Prince,” she said, referring to Governor Otu.

Edu, who is the Co-Director of the Women Mobilisation Directorate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, urged the women to mobilise support for the party ahead of the next election.

She charged them to “hand hold every woman you have spoken to and ensure the vote for APC from top to bottom in next election.”