Goat meat has multiple medicinal values, Gov. Yusuf justifies goat empowerment

The governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, has justified the controversial goat empowerment initiative for women in the state.

Mr Yusuf came under under, following the distribution of 7,158 goats to women across the 44 local government areas of the state as part of the poverty alleviation and women empowerment programme.

A statement by the governor’s spokesman, Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa, said the distribution marked the launch of the second phase of the women’s empowerment initiative under the Livestock Fattening Programme of the Kano Agro-Pastoral Development Project.

But defending the initiative, which cost the state government N2.3 billion during an event on Monday, the governor noted that goat  meat is highly medicinal to human body.

“They said rearing chickens and goats is not a good women empowerment. That it’s a waste of resources. But they forgot that even our beloved Prophet [PBUH], reared goats. The prophet also talked about how medicinal value of goat meat.

“Goat meat cures many illnesses. Our scholars sitting here can attest to that,” the governor said.

“Today we have gone round giving these little empowent and interventions to our people, because we believe this is an easy path to boost the socio-economic development of our women.

“Many of you do not know that the Islamic Development Bank supported the initiative with significant amounts of money, which we used to purchase 7,154 goats and share to women.”

The governor also made reference to a woman in the neighbouring Jigawa state who made huge fortunes from rearing three goats given to her by one of the former governors of the state.

“This woman now borrows money to civil servant before they are paid salaries. She takes care of all her family members, including paying school fees and other domestic expenses with the money she gets from these 3 goats.

“And now we want to replicate this in our states, but some people have been criticising our efforts,” he added.