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Tag: women

  • NILS, CSOs seek more women in National Assembly

    NILS, CSOs seek more women in National Assembly

    Until the number of women legislators in the National Assembly and Houses of Assembly increases, gender-based bills will continue to be difficult to pass, the National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS) has said.

    The institute noted that the number of women lawmakers in the country, which is only seven per cent, is inimical to the interest of women and other vulnerable groups in the country.

    NILS Director-General, Dr Ladi Hamalai, who gave the figure yesterday in Abuja, regretted that the small number of women lawmakers was causing the failure of gender-based bills across the country.

    She spoke at an advocacy training programme for civil society organisations (CSOs) and community-based organisations (CBOs), organised by NILS in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Democratic Governance (for Development (DGD).

    The expert said there should advocacy for an increase in the number of women in the next elections to solve the problem.

    Hamalai said: “The low participation of women in politics, just seven per cent, is unacceptable. It is what makes it almost impossible to pass bills that are gender sensitive.

    “There is need for advocacy for more cooperation between female legislators and CSOs, especially those involved in women issues.”

    She urged women parliamentarians to engage CSOs and other organisations involved in the cause of women.

    In her presentation, a former director in the Presidency and Executive Director of Gender Awareness Trust Dr. Lydia Umar said the adoption of an increased quota by political parties is the quickest way to achieve a significant increase in the number of women in politics.

  • WOMEN FED CUP: Delta Queens ready for Rivers Angels

    Delta Queens head coach Zannas Pele Eleta has said that his side are focused and well prepared ahead of the Women Federation Cup semi final clash against Rivers Angels in Abuja on Friday.

    Delta Queens booked their semi final ticket after defeating Pelican Stars 5-4 on penalties in the quarter final last week.

    Eleta, in an interview, heaped praises on his players for their resilience so far in the competition as he expressed confidence of reaching the final.

    “I was not with the team last year when we played Pelican Stars but I was told we lost to them at the quarter final stage. I told the players to go all out against Pelican and that they can do it. I thank God that they played according to our game plan and we made it to the next stage,”Eleta said.

  • Abe empowers 60 men, women, youths in Opobo/Nkoro

    Abe empowers 60 men, women, youths in Opobo/Nkoro

    •Wife donates wrappers to 1,100 women

    The lawmaker representing Rivers Southeast in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Abe, has empowered no fewer than 60 men, women and youths drawn from the 11 wards in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government.

    One thousand one hundred  women from the area, particularly widows, also benefitted from the free wrappers scheme of the wife of the senator, Mrs. Bariyaah Abe, bringing the number of beneficiaries to 9,000.

    Abe arrived at Opobo, headquarters of the council, to a heroic reception by a crowd consisting of men, women and youths.

    The senator said the empowerment initiated outside his constituency projects was a direct response to the overwhelming support from the people of the district and followed the resolve of elected representatives in Rivers State to ensure personal contact with the electorate.

    Abe said: “What is happening in the politics of Nigeria is that there are middlemen, between you and the government. They collect what is meant for you and give you peanuts. I came to tell you that Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has eliminated political middleman in the politics of Rivers State. He has brought dividends of democracy directly to you and your children.

    “The middlemen are in Abuja trying to sell your future. They are promising people that if they bring money, they will deliver Rivers State to them. They are not asking you; they are not talking to you; they are not asking you what you think; they are not asking you what you like; they are not coming to look for you, but they are in Abuja collecting money on your behalf.

    “We will together, redefine the politics of Rivers State, and you will be the determinant factor. We will banish middlemen from our politics. By the time we finish with them, they will remain in Abuja.”

    A cleric, Ven. Christian John-Jaja, predicted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would win the governorship election in Opobo/Nkoro and Rivers State next year.

    Describing Abe as a leader ordained by God, he hailed the lawmaker for raising his voice against the agents of impunity in the state, even at the risk of his life.

    According to him, God would continue to lift him higher for choosing to stand with the people, against oppressors.

    The APC Women Leader in Opobo/Nkoro, Felicia Pepple; Chairman, APC, Ward 3, Ibim Ogolo; and a Youth Leader in the state, Bethel Oko-Jaja, said it was the first time in the history of the district that a serving senator would sit with the people.

    They pledged their continued support for Governor Amaechi.

  • Women’s conference, awards hold

    The Executive Director of Media Stead International Limited, Mr Okala Uzochukwu, yesterday disclosed that this year’s Media Stead Women’s Conference and Award would hold at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, on Saturday.

    Awards’ recipients, he said, would include women in the banking sector, politics, media, oil and gas, business and education.

    The categories of the awards include: Virtuous Women Award, Nigeria Education Development Award, Special Honorary Recognition Awards and Female Media Personality Award, among others.

    The guest speaker is a foremost female activist and member of the ongoing National Confab in Abuja, Dr. Joe-Okei Odumakin.

  • Sambo inaugurates estate in Enugu

    Sambo inaugurates estate in Enugu

    Less than three months after Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime launched the Maryland Estate, another property has been inaugurated in the state. Vice President, Dr. Namadi Sambo declared the estate open. It was a day President Goodluck Jonathan praised Chime for his developmental efforts.

    Jonathan represented by his deputy at the flag-off of the estate at Ibagwa Nike, hailed Chime’s commitment and achievements in providing shelter for the state residents.The President noted that the support given by the Enugu State Government to Federal

    Agencies such as the Federal Mortgage Bank and to private developers in addition to its own initiatives in the sector, has helped to boost housing development in the state.

    The President also lauded the Federal Ministry of Housing, the National Assembly and the Federal Mortgage Bank for the high level of commitment they have continued to show towards the actualization of government objectives in the sector adding that the achievements so far was the result of their  concerted efforts.

    He emphasized that the Federal Government will continue to accord priority to the housing needs of the people as a way of improving their socio-economic lives and creating employment opportunities.

    Similarly, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Buka Abba Ibrahim, urged other governors in the country to emulate Governor Chime’s commitment to housing, saying it was the only way that the country could achieve its targets in the sector.

    He pledged the continued support of the Senate in attainment the government’s goals in the sector.

    Chime said commissioning the project marked another major milestone in the collaboration between the state government with private estate developers and agencies of the Federal Government towards the provision of affordable houses for all Nigerians.

    The governor disclosed that his administration has so far developed six major housing estates, with all of them already fully occupied and new ones on-going.  He added that the State was, as a deliberate policy, always willing to assist and embrace private investors and persons

    seeking to put up their own homes in Enugu, irrespective of their origins.

    The Estate as planned has the following features, 75 3-bedroom detached bungalow, 89 2-bedrom semi detached block of flats, 32 2-bedroom terrace and 128 one bedroom terrace(12 flats/block).

    There is also a perimeter fencing of the entire estate and police post for security, tarred access roads to all the houses, with side drains, dedicated 500 KVA transformer for electricity supply in the estate, water Reticulation connected to the public mains, neighbourhood Centre with indoor sporting facilities as well as a shopping centre.

    The managing director of COPEN group, the developers of the estate, Rev. Ugochukwu Chime (not a relation of the governor) described the event as memorable in so many ways in the “lives of many of us, especially the stakeholders of ELIM Estate.”

    He said: “Our divine commission in Copen Group is to among other things provide affordable housing for all has once more found its visible accomplishment/ expression in the completion of ELIM Estate., As an organization, Copen Group has been involved in various capacities in the conceptualization, planning, design, financial intermediation, supervision, construction and management of estate development for organizations and governments across the country. To date we have commissioned three FMBN-funded Estates with 405 housing units in Enugu State alone. ELIM Estate with 324 housing units is the fourth. As Project Consultants we facilitated the delivery of over 2,000 housing units across the country. Our involvement over the years at the highest levels in the activities of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) and Primary Mortgage Banks(PMBs) has impacted very positively on us.”

    Chime said they considered their success as  part of the transformation agenda of Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, “whose government’s interest in affordable housing provision as avenue for shelter, employment and growth is commendable”, adding that “the creation of Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company(NMRC) and the plans for 10,000 housing units in 2014 amongst other policies gives hope that at last the housing sector is about to attain its place of importance in our economy.”

    According to him: “The development of this estate was fraught with considerable challenges, any of which could have undermined or aborted it. However, God led us past it all successfully, for which we are eternally grateful. Having gone through the process of developing and commissioning Bethel Estate (2008), Goshen Estate(2011), Jubilee Estate(2011) and now ELIM Estate(2014), we can now fully understand the severe challenges and issues faced by developers, that can lead to and has led to the spate of abandoned and uncompleted estates projects allover the country. We were able to reach the stage of commissioning in each project because of GOD’s favour and manifest presence. For we acknowledge in tandem with John 3:27 that no man can receive anything except it be given to him from above. And what HE has given, no man can take away.

    “The cries of our people for affordable housing is still resonating from all parts of the country. The desires are still the same, who can help us become a landlord? God, who put it in your heart to hear their cry and subsequently enshrine it in your Transformation Agenda, will enable you pursue it to a logical conclusion. The issues of subsidy for the low income earners and housing laws reform especially foreclosure laws etc require both a roadmap and the political will to see it through. It is not easy but I know that God Almighty who has upheld your hand in many past battles is willing to use you immensely. Only be strong and very courageous.”

  • Happy days here again for Osun women

    Happy days here again for Osun women

    Thousands of women stormed the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, Osun State Thursday last week when Governor Rauf Aregbesola launched a special empowerment scheme for women who are heads of their households. ADETUTU AUDU reports that a cheque of N375m was given out to the jubilant women.

    The jubilant crowd mostly of women that converged on the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, capital of Osun State Thursday last week was an appreciative one. And the women had every cause to be as they showed their appreciation through singing, dancing and prayers for the Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola. Their joy and appreciation were not out of place. That day the Aregbesola administration was giving out N375 million in aid of women who head their respective households in the state.

    Apart from giving the women stipend monthly, they will also be trained in vocations common to their area after which at the end of the 12th month, they will each be given a seed money to start small scale business.

    The only condition attached to the beneficiary households was that they should make use of government infrastructure – meaning pregnant women in such households should make use of government health facilities while their children attend government schools.

    Also, at the event, new ultra-modern hand-held ultrasound diagnostic scanners (touch screen) and mirror-3d (colour) Doppler ultrasound diagnostic scanners were launched.

    Speaking at the event, Governor Aregbesola restated the commitment of his administration to making life better for the generality of the people of the state. “With all sense of modesty, I want to say that there is no household in Osun State that our administration has not touched positively,” he said.

    According the governor, the programme being launched was the pilot programme assuring that it will spread to other local government areas in the state.

    “You have not seen anything yet. We want to ensure that poverty is reduced to the barest minimum in this state. That is why our programme is anchored on the development of our people,” he assured.

    Speaking on the scanners, the governor stated that they were procured to ensure reduction in maternal mortality and reduce incidence of stroke among the populace.

    “The first scanner will scan pregnant women and detect the position of the unborn baby for any necessary medical action if there is need, while the second scanner detects early stroke symptoms in people for early medication,” Aregbesola explained.

    The governor was emphatic on the fact that: “pregnant women and others that will make use of these facilities will not pay any money – it is free”.

    The programme climaxed with the handing over of a  N375 million cheque to the heads of the benefitting households and the commissioning of the ultra-modern, ultrasound scanners.

    The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Aregbesola on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Honourable Abdullah Adeyanju Binuyo, under whose office the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme was executed, described it as a win, win situation for the people.

    “From whichever way you look at it, the people are the winners. They are not only the direct beneficiaries but also all the positive multiplier effects of the programme come back as plus for the people,” the SSA said.

    He explained further: “we give out N5,000 monthly to the head of each benefitting household who is a woman. That is the cash aspect. Residents of the benefitting households must make use of government facilities that is the condition. The transfer aspect is that the money given out will be spent in the state; that is ploughing back the money into the state economy thereby contributing to its development. At the end of the 12th month, each head of the benefitting household will get N100,000 to start a small scale businesses of their own. Remember that the pregnant women are treated free at government hospitals while the children enjoy not only free education but they also get free school uniform and are fed free. So the people are the ultimate winners of this programme”.

    Explaining further, the state Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Mrs. Mofolake Adegboyega, stated that the benefitting households were not picked at random. “They were selected through a thorough research by the consultant we employed to do so and the woman is a Professor from the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife. It took her six months of crisscrossing the nooks and crannies of this state to arrive at the list of beneficiaries,” she explained.

    According to her, the pilot scheme involved five local government areas in the state with 100 from each local government. A total of 2,250 households will benefit from this programme,” she said.

     

  • Women of easy virtue seek new life

    Some women of easy virtue in Lagos have said they are ready to quit the trade, if the government resettles and empowers them.

    The women, who are operating at the sprawling slum in Ijora Badia by Bale Bus Stop before Ijora Seven-Up Bridge, said they took to the trade for want of something better to do.

    The densely populated slum is said to be home to close to a million people. Residents in most parts of the area live in filth. Most of the women are into prostitution. A girl, her mother and grandmother are there in the same trade.

    The coordinator of a Non-governmental Organisation (NGO), Empowering Women to Begin New Life Initiative, Ms Anietie Mbosowo, held a preaching/ counselling session in the area.

    Men and women were seen smoking. Children who are out of school walked bare-foot in the filthy.

    Over 90 percent of the houses are built with planks and each of the rooms has just enough space for a six or eight-spring bed. The plank houses are so closely built that it is difficult passing through the corridors.

    While most of the men were smoking heavily; the women, some of them expectant, were waiting for their “customers”, even in the afternoon.

    Some of the prostitutes who responded to inquiries said they go to church or mosque to worship God but they still have to return to the trade because they have no alternative for now.

    A woman who is in her 60s, who confirmed that she is a grandmother, said some organisations had been trying to give them another focus to life, but without empowerment.

    Some of them said that even when they planned to stop, they are pulled back to the environment as there is no other place for them. The grandmother said recently, a man who pretended to be a pastor, duped them of millions of naira after an Alhaji did same since they are not used to saving their money in banks.

    She said some of them pay as much as N18,000 per month to their landlords as rent and for security.

    Mbosowo urged Governor Babatunde Fashola; his wife, Dame Abimbola, women political appointees, the Christian community and every Nigerian to come to the rescue of the women and their children.

    Her organisation, she said had tried over the years to cater for some of them but she has limitations as she has no sponsors or support from any quarters, apart from her salary.

    She expressed the fear that insecurity in the society might continue as long as those people are left as they are.

    She gave her e-mail contact as: newlifefoundations @yahoo.com, and animbos 2005@yahoo.com.

  • African Women Championship: Namibia coach plots Falcons downfall

    African Women Championship: Namibia coach plots Falcons downfall

    Namibia will host the 2014 Africa Women Championship slated to start on October 11 .

    The head coach of the Namibian national women football team, Jacqueline Shipanga has acknowledged after the draw for the competition held on Saturday that he’s got some tough battle to conquer even though he believes that his girls are determined and confident to do well against Nigeria’s Super Falcons and the other teams in Group A.

    Shipanga told CAFonline that Namibia have been paired in a very tough group where the host nation, Namibia will face tournament favourite Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire who eliminated defending champions Equatorial Guinea in the qualifiers.

    “We have been paired in a very tough group, especially if you are to face Nigeria (six-time winners) and Cote d’Ivoire, which eliminated holders Equatorial Guinea during the qualifiers.”

    “Zambia is in the same situation just as being first timers. Looking at it, it is a group of death.”

    “From now,we want to engage stronger teams to get better. Namibia has one of the youngest teams but the girls are extremely determined and confident to do well,” Shipanga told CAFonline.

  • 2015: Afe Babalola calls for abolition of bad practices against women

    2015: Afe Babalola calls for abolition of bad practices against women

    legal  icon, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), has called for the abolition and criminalisation of practices that hinder effective participation of women in politics.

    Babalola spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State, at the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Week 2014 and “FIDA Nigeria at 50”.

    He said steps should be taken to facilitate the increased participation of women in Nigerian politics.

    Among such steps is a quota system or proportional representation.

    Babalola said: “Contrary to some views, this will not amount to discrimination against men. It must be noted that such quota systems already exist in various aspects of our national life.

    Alternatively, political parties can be encouraged or statutorily required to make representation by women specified proportions of their candidates at elections into certain offices.

    “If the option of encouragement is chosen, such parties may be rewarded with specialised funding to aid some aspects of their activities, including women empowerment.”

  • Abe empowers 7,900 women

    More than 7,900 women, particularly widows in Rivers South-East, consisting of Andoni, Eleme, Gokana, Khana, Opobo/Nkoro, Oyigbo and Tai local governments, have gained from the Senator Magnus Abe wrapper scheme.

    Wrappers were presented to 1,000 women drawn from the 10 wards of Oyigbo Local Government.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) ward chairmen, spokesmen, women and youth leaders in the area got a motorcycle each.

    Speaking at the ceremony in Afam, Oyigbo Local Government Area, Abe said the gesture was to thank the women for their support to the Amaechi administration.

    He said: “What I am doing here is not constituency project, it is between my people and me.

    “My constituency projects are schools being built here in Oyigbo and Sogho, in Khana Local Government. Others are Anatomy Block in the University of Port Harcourt (Uniport) and a project at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology.”