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Women farmers advocate for agric budget implementation, policy review

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By Friday Idachaba

Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON), Kogi chapter has called for review of existing Agriculture sector policies to give way for emergence of a coherent policy framework with emphasis on budget formulation and implementation.

Kogi Coordinator of SWOFON Hajia Safiya Yahaya, made the call at a Press conference organised by Budget Committee Group (BCG), supported by ActionAid Nigeria on Wednesday in Lokoja.

The Coordinator said it was imperative that the Ministry of Agriculture reviewed existing policies on agriculture and come up with an all-inclusive policy framework that would incorporate the change agenda with emphasis on budget implementation.

She reiterated the age-long agitation and call for Increased funding to the sector to enable it meet the 10 per cent Maputo declaration and subsequent Malabo commitment to which Nigeria remained a signatory.

Yahaya also called on government at all levels to make budgetary provisions for Climate Change in their annual budgets to enhance food and agricultural production.

According to her, Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture (CRSA)/Agroecology and inclusion of Issues of climate change in Governments’ annual budgets were key to sustainable development in Nigeria.

She described as “Very unfortunate and wrongly too”, a situation whereby
no mention of issues around climate change is made or provided for in budgets in spite of the strong impact of clinate change on agricultural production.

According to her, Smallholder women farmers have access to less than 23 per cent access to formal credit, therefore, Kogi State Ministry of Agriculture should create a yearly Strengthening Access to Credit budget line.

Addressing the conference earlier, Mrs Faith Mataga called on Kogi government to be committed to the Agricultural Insurance Scheme especially for smallholder women farmers.

Mataga said this would serve as protection against natural and man-made disasters such as destruction of farms by cattle, flood, pests and other natural disasters and as well, enable Kogi farmers access the services.

“There is need for improved farmers data collection and collation, which provides an evidence-based rationale for planning and services provision.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Budget Committee Group (BCG) Mr Matthias Okpanachi, reiterated the need for increased Budgetary allocation well as release of appropriated funds to Agriculture sector.

Okpanachi said that the sector had over the years gotten haphazard percentage increases like 6.8; 4.2; 4.9 and 6.3 which remained a far cry from the Maputo and Malabo Declarations of 10 per cent.

Okpanachi held that releasing the appropriated funds had often posed a challenge adding that in 2016, only 25 per cent of the allocated fund was released while in 2020, only 18 per cent was released to the sector.

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NationalUpdate Woman

Easter: Woman leader tells women traders to involve God in all their businesses

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By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka

The woman leader, National Association of Nigeria Traders (NANTs) in Abuja the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief (Mrs) Rachael Adewumi has advised women traders in the nation’s capital to always involve God in their businesses.

Adewumi gave the admonition to the women traders in her Easter message on Thursday.

Adewumi was last year reelected as the woman leader and inaugurated along with others in ither positions with her in March.

Reiterating the essence of involving God in one’s business and other dealings, the woman leader said with the fear of God and His involvement in their business, sky would be their limit.
She urged them to have faith in God, adding that everyone who put his faith in God will never be disappointed.

The woman leader wished them well in the Easter celebration, as she reminded them that Easter is celebrated to observe the sacrifice of Jesus for mankind, adding that Easter is usually celebrated to promote peace, love and worship God, among other good gestures.

Enjoining them to remain law abiding and be supportive to the government, Amb Adewumi noted that, that will do a lot of good, as no government would plan evil for its citizens.

She further urged the women traders to neither hoard food items and other goods, nor sell at exorbitant profit as it would deny their customers and other Nigerians, the right to enjoy the Easter.

The woman leader also advised the women traders to neither spend above their income, nor make their husbands to do likewise, even as she urged husbands to accept Christ as their boss, for the wife to know that the husband is the head of the family.

She however appealed to the government at all levels to always intervene in the high rates commercial banks charge for loans, saying that the women traders, if encouraged or empowered would contribute immensely to the economy. Adewumi indicated that the markets, plazas, streets, among other areas where buying and selling are done, more than 80% of the traders are women.

“These women, if encouraged in the area of empowerment, among other similar gestures would go a long way to boosting the economy. Most of these women started with little or nothing, but today, they are doing wonderfully well, beyond imagination.
“So let the government find a way of encouraging and empowering the women traders, which if done will go a long way for this country,” she stated.

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Kogi first Lady lauds Mrs Tinubu for promoting access to education

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The First Lady of Kogi State, Mrs Sefinat Usman Ododo has hailed the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu over her Renewed Hope Initiative that is promoting access to education for Nigerian children

Mrs Ododo who is the Coordinator of RenewedHopeInitiative in Kogi State spoke at the flag off of the distribution of exercise books to students and pupils of the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) International Children School in Abuja by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

According to her, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has demonstrated her commitment as a true mother of the nation by ensuring that students and pupils are encouraged to enroll and stay in schools with the distribution of exercise books to them under her RenewedHopeInitiative.
She added that the initiative will enhance learning in schools and reduce the menace of out of school children especially among female children in Nigeria.

Mrs Ododo while highlighting the remarkable impact of outreaches by Senator Tinubu indicated that the Alternative School Programme and donation of exercise books to school pupils have the potential to improve access to education and contribute to human capital development.
“I am very happy to be part of Her Excellency’s RenewedHopeInitiative in reaching out to Nigerian children who are in need of a role model and a source of inspiration like our mother, Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

She has been a true mother and a role model for our nation and this gesture will go along way in encouraging more students and pupils to enroll and stay in schools.

It will also encourage all First Ladies in the country to do more in promoting access to education in all the states in Nigeria,” Mrs Ododo stated.

Mrs Ododo said she was particularly delighted by the passion and dedication demonstrated by Senator Oluremi Tinubu in promoting access to education and for making women and children focal points of the RenewedHopeInitiative.

She further assured of her support for all activities of the RenewedHopeInitiative in Nigeria especially in Kogi State where her pet project is also supporting indigent women and children through formal and vocational education as well as empowerment for widows, orphans and People Living With Disability.

Mrs Tinubu plans to distribute about 2 Million Exercise books across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory under the education component of Her RenewedHopeInitiative.

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House of Reps Press Corps Celebrates Mothers’ Day, Advocates Inclusivity, Family Care

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Grace Ike
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The House of Representatives Press Corps, under the leadership of Chairperson Grace Ike, has asked that mothers everywhere be celebrated and honored for the great work they continue to do as caregivers, nation builders, and agents of change.
This is coming on the heels of the 2024 International Women’s Day celebration (IWD)
Ike emphasized the invaluable contributions of mothers to families and nation as she urged them to honor their work and sacrifices made on behalf of their children and to champion inclusivity as well nurturing the home front.

According to the gender rights activist, “motherhood is a journey that requires balancing multiple responsibilities and challenges. Despite these challenges, mothers are relentless in their pursuit of creating inclusive environments and fostering harmony within their families.

“The resilience and strength of mothers, both within the confines of their homes and in the broader context of the nation cannot be over e

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