The Kwara State government has disbursed N500,000 to selected artisans and market women in the state.

The beneficiaries numbering 10 were drawn from some local government areas of the state under the Poverty Alleviation Programme of the present administration.

Making the presentation at the conference room of the Governor's Office, Ilorin, at the weekend, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Poverty Alleviation, Hajia Sarat Adebayo, said the initiative was the first of its kind since the present administration came on board.

Adebayo, who noted that the programme would be a continuous exercise, said government was committed to alleviating the sufferings of the less privileged in the state.

She said plans were also underway to provide working tools to some group of artisans in the state in order to give them the much needed impetus to growth.

As a demonstration of the state government's care for the aged, the governor's aide said a programme for the feeding of aged women and widows was already being implemented and would be expanded to make life more meaningful for them.

She said that Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed had approved the release of funds in this respect.

Adebayo added that government had concluded arrangement to expand the scope of the poverty alleviation programme to include provision of Keke Maigida (tricycles) to ease transportation difficulties being faced by the people.

She, therefore, advised beneficiaries of the financial aid to use the money judiciously.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mallam Jinadu AbdulWaheed, a physically challenged, thanked the state government for the gesture, describing it as a pleasant surprise.

He assured that the funds would be utilised judiciously.