FG distributes empowerment equipment to women

By Justina Auta

Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye on Tuesday said the government has started distributing sustainable empowerment equipment to women across selected states.

Kennedy-Ohanenye disclosed this during a press briefing on Tuesday in Abuja.

She said purchase and distribution of empowerment equipment for women were conducted in the six geopolitical zones for poverty alleviation and increased entrepreneurship activities were done recently in 15 states.

She revealed that the benefitting states include Anambra, Kano, Rivers, Imo, Lagos, Oyo, Katsina, Gombe, Kebbi, Adamawa, Ebonyi, Niger, Bayelsa, Benue and Jigawa.

She, however, said “it is disheartening to know that only 10 per cent of women own properties in Nigeria, that is not good enough, if we are able to empower women, things will go on well.

“We are going to bring in companies and donors that will teach, train and empower women on how to trade,” she said.

She added that equipment distributed include: garri processing machines, garri frying machines, industrial sewing machines, overlock weaving industrial machines, holding machines, heavy industrial iron.

Others are: Taping machines, steam pressing machines, sewing machines for stretches and stitches, cutting machines cloth, fish smoking machines, 4,000 litres fish bucket and rice milling machine.

The minister also said that the government would partner the Nigeria Army to protect the lives of women and youth farmers in the 36 states of the federation.

“The Ministry of Women Affairs will partner the Nigerian Army in security to allow women to have peaceful farming this season.

“The Army is doing everything possible to get surplus food back to the market. Nigeria of today is for the masses, we do not want to continue having the poor but to work hard,” she said. (NAN)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu