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IWD: Group calls for action to bridge gender ICT gap in Nigeria

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From Daniel Abel, Lafia

Global Peace Development, an NGO, has called for decisive action to bridge gender Information Communication Technology (ICT) gap in Nigeria, as the world marks International Women Day (IWD).

This was contained in a press statement issued to newsmen by its Executive Director, Ebruke Esike on Wednesday in Lafia.

IWD this year’s theme “DigitALl Innovation and Technology for gender equality” highlighted the role of innovation technology in promoting gender equality and meeting the health and developmental needs of women and girls worldwide.

The statement said Global Peace Development stands in solidarity with women and girls in Nigeria and around the world, as it celebrates the advancement made by women and girls in the field of transformative technology and digital education and other sectors.

Esike said there was significant gap between men and women in terms of representation and participation in ICT sector, noting that was a major challenge to Nigeria’s development efforts, as it limits the country’s potential to fully harness the benefits.

“On this day, we call on government at all levels in Nigeria to enhance the capacity and knowledge of women – rural and urban dwellers on ICT education as a development pathway for women growth, resilience and sustainable income.

“We believe that by empowering women and girls with technology, we are facilitating the unlocking of their full potential and closing the digital gender gap which has continued to widen economic and social inequalities,” he said.

Esike said going by International Telecommunications Union (ITU) report in 2022 that indicated 63 percent of women worldwide are using the internet compared to 69 percent of men, hence it required proactive action to bridge gender disparity.

He said the current reality of the Federal Government of Nigeria on cashless policy and Naira redesign disempowered majority of the women because of their limited knowledge, capacity, and skills on ICT.

“More women need to be encouraged to pursue careers in the industry, creating female-friendly work environments, providing more training opportunities, addressing cultural and societal barriers,” he said

This, he said required deliberate actions from various stakeholders including the government, private sectors, civil society organisations and well-meaning individuals.

He said Global Peace Development has been a supporter of gender equality in Nigeria as evident in its projects; SARVE III project in Kaduna State in partnership with ActionAid,with funding from the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund.

“Where we recently educated 1,350 women across 12 communities in Kaduna State on women’s rights in digital spaces and addressing online and ICT-initiated electoral violence,” he said.

Others are Strengthening Youth Leaders Connect for Constructive Social Change in Electoral process in Adamawa and Enugu States, where young women were empowered with creative digital skills to promote non-violent 2023 general elections.

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NationalUpdate Woman

Clark tells Tinubu to set up special Military Task Force to rescue Chibok Girls, others

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***Blames him for failure to rescue tgen after 10years

Elderstatesman and Leader of the Ijaw Nation, Chief Edwin Clark, has urged President Bola Tinubu to set up a special military task force to rescur the remaining Chibok School Girls and others still in the captivity of the Boko Haram insurgents.

The Ijaw national leader gave the indication at a news conference in Abuja to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Chibok Girls abduction by the dreaded Islamic sect.

He said the special military task force should be coordinated by a courageous military

While expressing displeasure over the failure of past administrations to rescue the girls, Clark urged President Bola Tinubu to leave no stone unturned to secure the release of the girls.

“About 90 of them are still missing after 10 years. This should be a source of worry and concern to any government of a nation.

“Tinubu should appoint a special taskforce with brave soldiers, competent, transparent and not nepotic.

According to the elderstatesman “It appears to some of us that the President Tinubu’s Government is not serious in the effort to rescue the remaining Chibok girls.
“About ninety (90) of them are still missing after ten (10) years. This should be a source of worry and concern to any government of a serious nation.

“I recall that in October, 2020, when a United States of America (USA) citizen, Mr. Philip Walton was held hostage between Niger Republic and Nigeria, the government of the United States deployed one of its machineries, the Naval Special Warfare group, popularly known as SEAL Team Six, who rescued Mr. Walton in Nigeria.
” The then President of the US, Mr. Donald Trump, followed the matter to up to conclusion. When the Mr. Philip was rescued,
“President Trump was so excited that a citizen of his country held hostage had been rescued and described the action as “big win for our very elite U. S. Special Forces.” Also, speaking on the incident, the then US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said “The United States is committed to the safe return of all U. S. citizens taken captive.
“We delivered on that commitment late last night in Nigeria, where some of our bravest and most skilled warriors rescued a U. S. citizen after a group of armed men took him hostage across the border in Niger”.
Clark wandered why the case of Nigeria is different.
According to him,In the case of the U. S., it was just one person, yet the government of the country went all out to ensure his rescue.
“In Nigeria, we are still talking about 90 girls still missing, ten years after.
Explaining further he said the Nigerian government bungled fresh negotiation to free Chibok girls
He said he led a high-level negotiations between the Nigerian government team and Boko Haram insurgents, to secure the release of 220 Chibok girls saying that it crumbled

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NationalUpdate Woman

Kogi Central: Again, Natasha distributes six trucks of grains to constituents

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The lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has distributed another six trucks of grains to her constituents to cushion the effects of the economic hardship ravaging the country.

At the Yuletide, the senator had distributed six trailers of rice, 20,000 notebooks, and 10,000 wrappers to her constituents for Christmas and New Year celebrations Additionally, she provided 5,000 branded bags to school children in the senatorial district’s five local government areas.
In that round of empowerment programme she targeted widows and the underprivileged, with the senator stating that the items were not exclusive to PDP members but for every deserving constituent, irrespective of party affiliation

This time, the six trucks of grains contain 7,200 bags of rice, beans, and millet distributed to the 57 Wards of the five local government areas of the senatorial district.

The beneficiaries included Muslim community, Christian community, Drivers’ union, Okada/Keke union, Mechanics’ union, pensioners, Hausa/Fulani community, Yoruba community, amongst others.

She reiterated the position that the distribution must reach all her constituents irrespective of party affiliations, adding that she will continue to do her best to bring the very best dividends of democracy to them.

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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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