President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has applauded Nigerian Women for the incredible resilience and determination that they exhibits every single day.
The President made the commendation during the Empower-Her – Nigeria For Women Farming, Health, Empowerment, Justice, Entertainment and Fundraising Programme organized by Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs Bar Uju Kennedy Ohanenye to assist and uplift Nigerian women.
President Tinubu who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF) Sen George Akume, stated that, “The women empowerment initiative is a beacon of hope for a better future for our women and girls to thrive and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s growth.
“We recognise the critical role our women play in providing healthcare and justice. They are the backbone of our communities and working tirelessly to provide for their families and uplift their communities and contributing significantly to our nation’s development and progress.
“For those of us from rural background, this is not strange, from the bustling market to halls of academia to corridors of power, humble homes and villages, women are driving positive change and sharping the future.
“As the President of Nigeria, I am committed to advancing the cause of women empowerment and gender equality in our dear nation. Don’t forget my mother was a great market woman.
“We recognise the challenges women face with limited access to education and healthcare, gender based violence and economic disparity. This is imperative for us as a nation to together drive down development and create opportunities for women to thrive and succeed.
“Empowering women in agriculture, we must prioritize investment in agricultural training, access to land (This is critical) and financial services for women farmers. This will enable women increase their yield, improve their livelihood and contribute to Nigeria’s food security. By doing so, we will unlock their full potential that will drive different economic growth.
“We must also address the health disparity that disproportionately affect women and girls. By increasing access to quality health care, education, economic opportunities, we can empower them to control of their health and wellbeing.
President Tinubu advised that women should be allowed to express themselves “In our quest for justice and sustainability, we must ensure women have access to justice and protected from all forms of violence and discrimination, which requires strengthening our institutions, promoting gender sensitive policies, and supporting womens rural organizations.
“It is in view of this that this Empower-Her initiative solidly deepen the vision we have for our country. We must empower women not just for their sake but for the sake of our entire nation. When we have empowered families, communities are viable
He called on government and private sector to join hands and support and promote empower-her initiative which has created an enabling environment for every woman in Nigeria to fulfill her potential and contribute meaningfully to society.
President Tinubu urged all stakeholders from both government and private sectors to join hands and support the Empower-Her initiative that promotes women empowerment. He commended the Minister for her commitment to womenfolk and also thanked development partners for their unwavering support to
Nigerian women.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Bar Uju Kennedy Ohanenye while answering questions from the press disclosed that the funds raised will be used to purchase buses that will operate across 36 states of the federation, including Abuja..
According to her, “I need two busses per state, so I am going to start with Abuja and Nasarawa state, and I will start immediately. As soon as the money lands in that account.
The Minister added that the buses will facilitate the operation of the mobile court and ensure that justice is served.
“Speaking about taking homeless children off the streets, she said, “I am going to start from taking my children off from the streets. I can’t continue leaving them there while men are defiling them.
“Every day I get one case or the other and I shed tears, my heart is broken totally. You see a three year old, the father has defiled her. You see a four year old, a teacher has defiled her, sodomize her, she’s leaking everywhere. She’s having fistula disease at four years? These are verifiable.
It could be recalled that the Minister had before now introduced Mobile Courts to expedite the delivery of justice in addressing gender-based issues.
This initiative involves the collaboration of the Ministry of Justice, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, security agencies, and civil society organizations, among other relevant stakeholders.I
“I decided to take the bold step to raise the money I want to work with so the mobile court will pick those girls. I will keep them in my home, feed them, take care of them, then take them to their homes and hand them to their mothers, then I will empower them all,” She stated.
At the fundraising of Empower Her, a prominent businessman and the Chief launcher of the event, Sir Arthur Eze, CEO of Atlas Oranto Petroleum announced the donation of N100 million, while other prominent Nigerians who came to support also donated while some made pledges
Juliet Oyoyo
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