NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
General News

FG commits to girls’ education, empowerment

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By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmed, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening support for girls’ education and empowerment in the country.

Ahmed spoke in Abuja on Thursday during a road walk for the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Employment (AGILE) programme.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inscription for the AGILE road walk is tagged Madubi, and the programme is designed to improve secondary education for girls in Nigeria.

Madubi is a Hausa word meaning “mirror” and it aims to increase public awareness and action on girls’ education.

The minister stressed the importance of girls’ education in driving national development, noting that more support would be given to the initiative.

According to her, the road walk is for “the girl to see herself in us as a mirror for a better future.

“We support every programme that seeks to empower the girl-child.

“At the Federal Ministry of Education, we have our own programme that we are going to launch soon to ensure that we empower the girl-child.

“But AGILE is wonderful in terms of giving opportunity to the girl-child by providing access and opportunity for the girl-child to flourish in our society.

“We hope to see other programmes that will ensure every girl-child has the opportunity to reach her full potential,” she said.

Also speaking, the AGILE National Project Coordinator, Mrs Amina Haruna, said the initiative was established to ensure that no girl is left behind in education and to reduce the number of out-of-school children.

Haruna explained that educating girls leads to societal transformation, saying that the slogan Madubi symbolises the girl as a reflection of society.

Sharing the project’s success stories, Haruna said the initiative was being implemented in 18 states, resulting in the construction of classrooms, provision of WASH facilities, and distribution of learning materials to schools.

“We have renovated about 10,000 classrooms. We have built about 475 schools.

“Where there’s a primary school, we try to build a junior secondary school. Where there’s a junior secondary school, we build a senior secondary school.

“We are doing this to bring schools closer to the girls. We don’t want the girls to walk long distances before reaching school.

“And according to the education policy, no girl-child or any child should have to walk more than five kilometres to access school.

“So that transition from one level to the next will be easier for adolescent girls,” she said.

The national coordinator further stated that in 2025, plans were underway to accelerate progress by constructing more classrooms, expanding WASH facilities, and providing more scholarships to the poorest households.

Regarding the challenges of girls’ education due to social norms, she said the organisation was partnering with the Sultan Foundation to address any resistance from communities hosting the projects. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Tosin Kolade

Gender

NCWS elects new President, unveils empowerment Initiative

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By Justina Auta

Mrs Edna Azura has emerged as the new National President of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Azura will complete the late Hajiya Lami Adamu-Lau’s two-year tenure, following her passing on June 5, 2024.

During the inauguration, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, urged Azura to lead with fairness and dedication for the benefit of women across the country.

“Together, we can achieve so much. Women are already leading in many sectors, and there is no reason we cannot do even more for this nation.

“We will contribute to the progress and development of Nigeria by providing access to markets and finance, protecting our women and children, and giving them the support they need.

“We will also strengthen our response to child development and protection, ensuring that the vulnerable are well looked after,” she said.

On the new women empowerment initiative, Sulaiman-Ibrahim announced that it would provide financial support to women in the six geo-political zones.

This, she said will help them achieve economic independence amidst the current economic challenges.

According to her, N3.6m will be given to the North Central states; N3.1m to the Northeast; N3.1 Northwest states; N2.250m to Southeast.

”The South South will get N3.150m

while N2.7m will go to the South West states as part of the women empowerment initiative, ”she said.

Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, Mandate Secretary of the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, called the late Adamu-Lau an icon with a legacy of excellence.

While presenting a memorial magazine in honour of the late president, Benjamins-Laniyi urged women to emulate Adamu-Lau’s legacy and contribute to national development.

“In our transition, may we create legacies that are not just printed in magazines but etched as indelible footprints,” she said.

Mrs Geraldine Ita-Etuk, NCWS First Vice President and Acting President, thanked First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, NCWS Grand Patron, for her steadfast support for women.

Ita-Etuk highlighted the council’s efforts, saying: “We are giving three women per state N150,000 each to support and grow their businesses.

“We also want to see more women in politics and positions of authority”.

In her acceptance speech, Azura, the 16th NCWS President, pledged to uphold her predecessor’s legacy and champion women’s empowerment.

“I commit to working diligently to empower women, foster unity, and elevate NCWS to greater heights.

“Let us unite as one, fostering cooperation and collaboration among Nigerian women for a brighter and more prosperous future for ourselves and the nation,” she said.

Azura urged women to prioritise dignity, welfare, and empowerment while increasing their participation in governance.

She emphasised the importance of creating a legacy of strength and unity for future generations. (NAN)

www.nannews.ng

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Kadiri Abdulrahman

Gender

HIV: UN, ASWHAN unveil women empowerment project

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By Justina Auta
 UNWomen and the Association of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (ASHWAN) have unveiled an empowerment initiative for women living with HIV.
The organisations extended the gesture to other vulnerable groups, empowering them with life skills and start-up packs to enhance their economic independence.
Mrs Helen Akpan, Assistant National Secretary, ASWHAN, said this during a two-day training on Friday in Abuja.
She said the exercise would alleviate the current hardship faced by members and provide them with source of livelihood.
“We are training women living with HIV and other vulnerable women with skills acquisition for sustainability and to alleviate poverty.
“This will help in sustaining household livelihood for these women and their children, especially amidst the dwindling economy, which has overwhelmed a lot of people’s financial capacity.
“There is a need for them to have skills and economic empowerment, which will take care of their nutrition, drugs and other hospital services required,” she said.
She said that 50 women in the FCT would be exposed to poultry farming, ice block business and other skills, adding that start-up packs and equipments would be given to them to facilitate the training they acquired.
According to her, the women will be grouped into clusters to form a cooperative, to enable them to access loans and other services to more financially independent.
 “This is going to be extended to other states because we want to change the narratives for our members regarding depending on others. It is one of the causes of Gender Based Violence (GBV),” she said.
Mr Martin-Mary Falana, a Consultant, said the participants would also be empowered on identifying profitable business opportunities, innovative ideas for marketing and selling
He said they would  be trained on how to form and manage a Village Savings and Loan (VSLA).
Falana said the women would be able to lay their hands on things that can improve their livelihood, especially as they will be given startup equipment to fend for themselves.
“It will also improve their socio economic development and ensure that they earn what they can use to fend for themselves and their younger ones, children and wards.
“They will also be grouped to form committee that will assist them with the VSLA, where they can make contributions and then gather it to help one another.
“This will go a long way to alleviate poverty, generate income and make them self reliant,” he said.
He encouraged other stakeholders to support vulnerable groups, while urging the participants to remain strong.
 ”Living with HIV is not the end of life. HIV does not have anything to do with their brain. They can still use their hand to do a lot of businesses.
“They need help from other financial institutions to bring down the cost of  interest in accessing loan so that they can do something with their lives,” he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Stella Ebeh-Obianuju stressed the need to empower women living with HIV, to make them less vulnerable and victims of GBV.
Ebeh-Obianuju, who is also the Coordinator, Hope Initiative (Mother’s to mother Support group), said that, “if we are empowered, we will be able to stand on our own, train our children, live a healthy and productive life.
“I believe that after this empowerment training, and with support, we will be able to stand on our own and be financial dependent, not relying on anyone,” she  said.
Amina Mohammed, another beneficiary, said the initiative would make her independent, and provide for her family, especially amidst the current economy challenges. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman
General News

Foundation empowers SERVICOM staff with skills for better service delivery

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By Angela Atabo

An NGO, Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, has empowered SERVICOM staff members with advanced skills for better public service delivery.

National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer of SERVICOM, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, made this known at a four-day monitoring and evaluation (M&E) training programme, organised for the organisation’s officials on Monday in Abuja.

Akajemeli said that the initiative represented an important step toward promoting transparency, accountability and efficiency in public service delivery.

“Following the partnership agreement signed with SERVICOM in July 2024, SERVICOM, which stands for Service Compact, ensures Nigerian citizens receive quality services from ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

“To support SERVICOM’s important role in public service, the foundation assessed the skills of its staff to identify any gap that might impact their work.

“The assessment showed that improving monitoring and evaluation skills could help staff develop and oversee standard operating procedures across public institutions, leading to better services for Nigerians,” she said.

Akajemeli said that the training programme, delivered by Workforce Group, equipped SERVICOM staff members with important skills in data collection and analysis, modern software tools and effective evaluation methods.

She said that participants learned how to create standard operating procedures (SOPs) to improve operations and service delivery as well as to monitor their application across MDAs.

The national coordinator further stated that the training enabled the participants to assess the services provided by MDAs and ensure that they were up to standard, resulting in better outcomes for citizens.

“The training, supported by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and delivered under our partnership with the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, improves on our existing capabilities.

“It empowers SERVICOM to fulfill its mission of ensuring quality public service delivery.

“We are excited about the impacts this programme will have on Nigeria’s public service landscape,” she said.

Also speaking, Head of Operations at SERVICOM and participant, Mrs Ngozi Akinbodewa, said that the training had helped in broadening her knowledge in many ways.

“I learned how to create standard operating procedures during the training.

“Developing these procedures will improve our operations by clearly defining roles and responsibilities,” she said.

Executive Vice-Chair of the foundation, Mrs Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, said that the training represented a key step toward improving the experiences of Nigerians who relied on public services.

Aig-Imoukhuede said that it would also boost the skills of SERVICOM staffers, improve accountability and transparency across MDAs and set a standard for lasting improvements in public services delivery to citizens.

She said that through the programme, SERVICOM staffers were better prepared to implement effective monitoring and evaluation practices that would improve public service delivery across MDAs.

“They can use data-driven insights to identify service gaps, improve public satisfaction and ensure that MDAs meet their commitments to Nigerian citizens,” she said. (NAN)

Edited by Benson Ezugwu and ‘Wale Sadeeq

Agriculture

Expert calls for youth, women empowerment in agriculture

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By Naomi Sharang

The Chief Executive Officer of Shield Africa, Mrs Osenaga Orokpo, has emphasised the need for empowering youth and women to drive sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria and Africa.

Orokpo, speaking at the Shield Africa Summit 2024 in Abuja on Friday, noted that food insecurity and poverty have become major concerns on the continent.

She stressed that Africa must prioritise sustainable agriculture and food security, transforming fields and approaches to prioritise sustainable practices, empower youth and women, and unlock the true potential of African agriculture.

Orokpo envisioned a prosperous Africa where every young person had the tools to become an agri-preneur, transforming farmlands into sources of wealth and opportunity.

According to Orokpo, hunger affects over 250 million people in sub-Saharan Africa, with population growth threatening to outpace agricultural production.

She emphasised the need for more youth involvement in agriculture, citing the average age of farmers as over 60, while the median age of the population is just 18.

Orokpo called on stakeholders to join forces to shield Africa from hunger, poverty, and pain.

She announced that Shield Africa aimed to create 15,000 to 20,000 direct and indirect jobs for young individuals in 2025, contributing to youth employment and reducing poverty.

The Deputy Governor of Benue, Dr Sam Ode, represented by Director-General Benita Shuluwa, emphasised the potential for rural communities to drive economic transformation.

He highlighted Benue’s experiences in investing in rural infrastructure, which he said have boosted agriculture and uplifted communities.

Ode commended Shield Africa for providing agricultural support, empowering youth, and promoting gender inclusivity.(NAN)

Edited by Yinusa Ishola and Abiemwense Moru

Gender

SWEDI donates dignity packs to celebrate school girls in Abuja

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By Philip Yatai

An NGO, Safe World Empowerment and Development Initiative (SWEDI), has donated dignitary packs to school girls to commemorate 2024 International Day of the Girl Child in Abuja.

Some of the items include sanitary pads, toothbrush and paste, toilet paper, bathing soap and vaseline among others.

The founder and Executive Director of the NGO, Ms Sewuese Asa, led the distribution on Friday, at Junior Secondary School, Kabusa, in Abuja Municipal Area Council.

Asa said that the support was in line with the 2024 theme, “Girls’ Vision for the Future”, to empower young girls through the SWEDI Care programme.

She said that the initiative was designed to support girls’ menstrual health, through sensitisation on menstrual hygiene and distribution of dignity packs.

This, she said, would ensure that no girl is held back by menstrual period.

She explained that the school outreach was to support girls’ menstrual hygiene and overall well-being, in line with the NGO’s vision of creating lasting change for women and girls across Nigeria.

The executive director also emphasised the importance of girls’ education, health and leadership training to enable them to contribute to the advancement of the society.

“SWEDI Care is more than just  products; it is about ensuring that every girl can continue to dream, learn, and lead with confidence and dignity.

“The outreach has attracted the attention of stakeholders to the critical issue of menstrual hygiene among young girls.

She reaffirmed SWEDI’s commitment to continue advocating for girls’ rights and well-being.

One of the school girls, Fatima Mohammed Fatima, described the outreach as simply “informative and impactful.”

Mohammed, who is the Head Girl of the school, thanked SWEDI for the enlightenment, saying, “we have learnt about the importance of menstrual hygiene and how to take care of ourselves, especially during menstrual period.

“The dignity packs we received from SWEDI Care are going to help us to stay confident and comfortable in school.

“I have learnt that having a menstrual period is normal and nothing to be ashamed of, and with the dignity pack from SWEDI, I now have the things I need to manage my period properly, even when I am at school.

“This programme has made me feel more confident about myself.

“I will share this knowledge with my friends and younger girls, so they don’t feel ashamed or embarrassed when they are menstruating.

“They need to know how to take care of themselves. We all deserve to feel strong and proud; no matter what,” she said. (NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

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