Oluremi Tinubu commissions 50 CNG buses, launches ₦1bn empowerment scheme in Edo

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has said President Bola Tinubu’s administration is laying the foundation for Nigeria’s future through reforms and policies introduced since assuming office in 2023.

She spoke on Thursday during a visit to the palace of the Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, in Edo State, where she highlighted interventions under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) and called for greater collaboration with traditional rulers to expand their reach.

The First Lady also commissioned 50 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses acquired by the Edo State Government and flagged off a ₦1bn empowerment programme targeting 5,000 women, youths and other vulnerable residents.

According to her, the administration’s reforms are intended to redirect the country’s development and create a stronger foundation for future generations.

“Your tenure is a lifelong one, while our period here is limited. So we are doing all that we can to see that when we finish this assignment, we too can go back to a Nigeria that is comfortable,” she told the monarch.

Oluremi Tinubu said the Renewed Hope Initiative had supported interventions in agriculture, education, economic empowerment, healthcare and social investment to complement the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

She expressed the hope that some of the initiative’s programmes, including grants for persons with disabilities and the RHI Elderly Support Programme scheduled for December, could be implemented through traditional rulers to reach more people at the grassroots.

The First Lady also urged traditional institutions to help raise awareness about HIV/AIDS, hepatitis and syphilis, as well as the importance of birth registration and human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination.

In his remarks, Oba Ewuare II commended the First Lady for her interventions in support of women and girls across the country.