Business
CCT Scheme: MDGs Office To Encourage Women In Agric
Special Assistant to the President on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Dr Precious Gbeneol, has said the office will encourage women in agriculture through the Conditional Cash Transfer Scheme (CCT).
This is contained in a statement signed by the Head, Information and Communication in the Office of the MDGs, Dr Christopher Otabor, last Thursday in Abuja.
The statement said that the scheme was targeted at the extremely poor households and communities to transform women and girls in agriculture, education and health in the country.
It added that the MDGs office had introduced the scheme in many local government areas and empowered women and girls in communities in different endeavours.
“In paying due consideration to the foregoing, MDGs is implementing high impact interventions specifically targeted at women.
“CCT scheme reaches thousands of core poor, women-headed households as an incentive that stimulates demand for the uptake of educational services for the girl-child, health services for women and children.
“The scheme has the transfer of agricultural enterprise to women as an exit strategy in order to forestall a culture of dependency.
“In the space of three years, CCT scheme provided interventions such as 12,347 water facilities, 5,206 health facilities, and 3,136 classroom blocks,” the statement said.
It said that the scheme had also trained about 68,430 different cadres of health workers, adding that it would enhance development in the country.
The statement said that the workers would assist health facilities, manage health promotion, conduct routine household visits to discharged patients and carry out data collection on related issues.
Business
Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.