Association urges Nigerian women to harness potentials for economic growth
Florence Adidi, Abuja.
Nigerian women have been urged to effectively utilize their potentials for the country’s economic growth.
The newly inaugurated President, Nigerian Association of Women Entrepreneurs (NAWE), Mrs. Vera Ndanusa, made the call at the Inauguration and Award Presentation of Nigerian Association of Women Entrepreneurs in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
“The average Nigerian women is seen as an available object for prostitution, forced marriages, street hawking, instrument of wide-range of trafficking and a misfit in the society.
“Thus, the purported irrelevance associated with the status of women in the society has merely reduced an average woman to an inferior commodity.
“Women should not be deterred by such attitudes but continue to be the best in the society”, Ndanusa said.
Mrs Ndanusa also prayed the government to make credit facility available to women farmers with collateral demands structured in such a way to accommodate their productivity:
“Women are at the fore front in agriculture in Nigeria because they are the producers, processors and marketers,” she pointed out.
In his key note address, the Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Ovie Omo Agege, while lauding women’s natural attributes said the present Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is concerned about promoting the wellbeing of Nigerian women and would continue to ensure that women are not marginalized in any way in the society.
Earlier, the Representative of the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mrs Jummai, called on women to always be productive as, according to her, “productivity is key to societal development”.
She also said that the Ministry has introduced a number of programmes to promote women economically. She, therefore, urged women all over the country to take advantage of these initiatives.
The highlights of the event included the inauguration of the new President as well as the other new Executives of the Association.
There was also awards presentation to the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo Agege, for his role in promoting the interest of women in the society as well as a display of various products by different women groups and individuals at the venue of the event.
The newly inaugurated President of NAWE, Mrs Vera Ndanusa, who is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Export Processing Zones (NEPZA) is also a veteran entrepreneur and a quintessential leader.
She is also a reputable legal Icon who combines professionalism with service delivery.
Amaka E. Nliam