FG Distributes 368 Sustainable Empowerment Items for Women Across 15 States
Minister of Women Affairs, Barr. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, has unveiled a comprehensive plan for sustainable empowerment initiatives targeting women across Nigeria.
The Minister said the Ministry has distributed a total of 368 items to various communities in 15 states to foster economic independence and upliftment among women.
Ohanenye disclosed this while giving an update on the distribution of the items to newsmen in Abuja, on Tuesday.
The Minister emphasized the importance of community involvement, urging Nigerian women to utilize a newly established portal to access these empowerment resources.
Ohanenye highlighted the Ministry’s approach towards sustainable empowerment, focusing on providing women with the necessary tools and machinery to kickstart and sustain their businesses. These include equipment for agriculture, such as cassava processing machines, fish ponds, and irrigation systems, as well as industrial machines for sewing and garment production.
While announcing the states that benefited from the first phase, She said: “For the first phase, we have distributed these items to Anambra, Kano, Rivers, Imo, Lagos, Oyo, Katsina, Gombe, Kebbi, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Niger, Bayelsa, Benue and Jigawa States and have drawn out modalities for the next tranche of empowerment in other states and the idea is in fulfillment of my pronouncement in August last year on resumption of duty to change the narratives on empowerment of women in Nigeria.”
Speaking on the equipment, The Minister said the initiative extends beyond simply providing equipment; it encompasses training programs conducted by experts to train women on various aspects of farming, livestock rearing, and small-scale industries. The goal is to empower women to not only generate income but also to become self-sufficient entrepreneurs capable of supporting their families.
The Minister underscored the importance of collaboration with other government agencies and private organizations to ensure the success of these empowerment efforts. She emphasized the need for more support, including maintenance services for the distributed machinery, to guarantee long-term sustainability of the program.
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She called for collective action and urged Nigerians to show love and commitment towards uplifting the lives of women across the nation. “I urge digitally literate Nigerians to assist community women in enrolling on the E-Market portal to ensure they can benefit from this program.
“The ministry is working in tandem with State Commissioners for Women Affairs and Council of Traditional Rulers to ensure transparency, proper coordination, and implementation of the distributed equipment and items across the various States”, she said.
Addressing the issue of security, the Minister highlighted the partnership between her ministry and various agencies, including the Nigerian Army, to ensure the safety of women and their equipment. She acknowledged the efforts of Mr. President and his administration in improving security across the country. However, she emphasized the need for immediate action to safeguard women in their agricultural pursuits.
Speaking further, the Minister outlined that the program will boost the ongoing agricultural initiatives promoting food security and economic empowerment. She revealed that the plan will cultivate corn on 300 hectares and rice on 500 hectares, illustrating the government’s commitment to agricultural development.
Regarding the distribution of clothing items, the Minister clarified that while the garments may not be uniform, they would be of high quality and diverse in design. She emphasized the importance of empowering local tailors and seamstresses is by providing them with patterns and materials to produce clothing that meets market demand.
The Minister also addressed the issue of digital literacy and employment opportunities, announcing a partnership with a company to train 300 women in digital skills. She noted that this will help the women with the necessary tools to access online job opportunities, including laptops and mobile devices.
In addition to economic empowerment, the Minister highlighted efforts to address harmful cultural practices such as breast ironing, female genital mutilation and harmful practices, she emphasized that community empowerment will also help in eradicating such practices.
She recounted her visit to communities where she sensitized residents about the dangers of such practices and provided support for alternative livelihoods.
The Minister concluded by reaffirming her commitment to women’s empowerment and urged Nigerians to support initiatives aimed at uplifting women and promoting social change. She emphasized the role of collective action in addressing societal challenges and called for continued support from government agencies, NGOs, and the international community.
