PRESS RELEASE: COVID-19: KEBBI MULTI-PURPOSE COOPERATIVE HOLDS WOMEN HEALTH WORKSHOP, COMMENCE MASK PRODUCTION

The Kebbi State Multi-Purpose Business Cooperative Union has organized a two day workshop for women to sensitise them on preventive measures against the Covid-19 Pandemic.

To boost Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) which is part of its mandate, a workshop was held on Sunday 18th and Monday 19th April 2020 for a total of 100 women from across the 21 local government areas of the state.

The women were taught how to produce handmade cotton face masks and mandated to step down the training to other women in their respective communities.

Each session comprised of 25 women in order to adhere to social distancing preventive measure.

The Chairperson of the Cooperative, Hajiya Hajara Yusuf Kangiwa kick start the training event with a brief overview of the cooperative activities.

She said outcomes are expected from the participants after the workshop held at the conference hall of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Birnin Kebbi.

Hajiya Aisha Mohammed Maikurata, Permanent Secretary State Ministry for Women Affairs in her opening remarks, charged the women to take precautions against the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said it was because of the current global predicament that the Wife of the Governor, Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu felt it necessary to find a cost effective and quick ways of making masks in the state.

She said the women after the training can hand-sew masks to protect their families and also train others in their community.

During the training workshop, general hygiene and awareness on COVID-19 was carried out, Animated Video Messages on the Disease and also Cancer.

Each participant was presented with a startup kit with materials to make 20 masks, a bag of rice as well as certificate of Skill Acquisition.

Her Excellency, Dr Zainab Shinkafi Bagudu who was in attendance at the last session of the workshop commended the organizers as well as the participants urging them to stay clean and practice the mask making at home to boost their income and prevent community transmission of Covid-19 disease.

Some of the women who spoke on behalf of other participants expressed gratitude to the Wife of the Governor commending her over her endless efforts on the sensitization and empowerment carried out by her office.

Hon. Zahrau Wali, Special Adviser to the Governor on Women Development in her closing remarks also reiterated the need to step down the training to achieve immunity in Kebbi just like the people of Japan have done.

She instructed that from time to time the stakeholders should monitor and evaluate the outcomes of the women trained.

She also advise them to abide by all health safety precautions to combat the coronavirus Pandemic.

The FCT in Abuja recently made wearing of mask in public mandatory as a way of curbing the coronavirus pandemic.

Signed:
YAHAYA SARKI
Special Adviser (SA) Media to Kebbi State Governor
26/4/2020