FG assures women cooperatives ongender-friendly policies

The Federal Government has rekindled
hopes that it will continue to develop
gender-friendly policies and programmes
for the good of the Nigerian women,
children, the elderly and people living with
disabilities.
Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zanaib
Maina, who made this remark regretted
that “despite national and international
instruments guaranteeing the equality of
men and women signed and ratified by
governments at all levels, poverty is still
more prevalent among women, especially
at the grassroots.”
The Minister, represented by the Director
of Economic Department, Mr. Olowo
Ofoyeku, made the remarks in Abuja at
the weekend at the flag off of Micro
Finance Institute, empowerment scheme,
medical services, induction and award of
National Patrons and Grand Patrons by
the Nigerian Cooperative Women Alliance
(NICOWA).
She underscored the need for
reinvigorating commitment in the fight
against poverty, hunger and joblessness
among women, saying that efforts were
being made to provide more opportunities
and support for women to sustainably
realise their potentials.
Describing cooperatives as engines of
economic development and vehicle
through, which disadvantaged groups in
both rural and urban areas can have a
voice and pursue their economic interests
and secure social protection, she said
such cooperative ideals initiated by
NICOWA were needed to address income
inequalities and other situations affecting
women.
The Minister enumerated efforts of the
ministry aimed at developing women in
the country, which included producing a
compendium of women cooperatives in
the country to provide relevant
information on viable cooperatives in
terms of the geographical spread, a
forthcoming national capacity building in
collaboration with international partners,
provision of soft loans in conjunction with
ECOWAS Gender Development Centre
(EGDC) and establishment of 70 skills
acquisition centres across the country.
While acknowledging efforts of the Federal
Government at bridging the imbalance in
elective and appointive offices between
men and women, the Chairman, Board of
Directors, Future Growth Micro Finance
Bank, Mr. Tony Nwobi, observed that a
yawning gap still exists between the two
groups.
Nwobi enjoined members of the
cooperative to remain together to achieve
their set objectives, saying “the success of
building NICOWA has shown that when
women come together they achieve
more.”