Abuja — Women Affairs and Social Development Minister, Salamatu Suleiman, has observed that women empowerment must be pursued with vigor if Nigeria is to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and President Umar Yar'Adua's 7 point agenda.

The minister disclosed that to aid the empowerment of women across the country, the Federal Government was ready to disburse grants to relevant institutions and Non-Governmental Organisations.

This, she explained, is to enable them implement programmes in areas that include support for widows, HIV/ AIDS, violence against women, maternal mortality, child mortality and assistance to persons with disabilities.

Suleiman who spoke at a two-day interactive meeting with Commissioners for Women Affairs from the 36 states of the federation.

She added that the funds to finance the programmes were partly received from the MDGs Office and sourced from of debt relief package.