By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Abuja – The Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari on Thursday called for education of the girl-child and women to end poverty in the country.
Buhari made the call when she inaugurated the National Gender Action Plan for Agriculture during the commemoration of 2018 Women and Girls Summit in Abuja.
The summit was organised by the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) in collaboration with the Office of the Wife of the President and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Buhari, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Wife of the President, Hajiya Hajo Sani urged the summit to reflect on issues concerning the girl child and women.
She said that at the end of the summit, they should proffer solutions to advance the education, security, health of women and girls in the country.
“Girls education is one of the effective ways of ending poverty in developing countries as the educated girl-child will have self confidence as well as overcome obstacles.
“The educated girl is able to do things for herself without any feeling of incompetence and incapability.
“My dream for the Nigerian child is for her to rise above her limitations to take advantage of the education opportunities offered by the present administration,” she said.
On the just inaugurated National Action Plan for Agriculture, Buhari said it would go long way in supporting women in agriculture proceeds to modern farming.
Mrs Aisha Abubakar, the Supervising Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, who was represented by the Director in the ministry, Mrs Fawekun Oyeyemi said that the major goal of the National Action Plan was to ensure that women had access to critical resources and invest in human capital.
She said that the National Action Plan for Agriculture would boost women’s role in agriculture and rural enterprise and make essential contribution to national development.
Abubakar said that the contribution of women to agriculture was significant, saying that in spite of their contribution, malnutrition was higher amongst women and children.
The Chairman, Governing Council of NCWD, Mrs Joi Nuneh urged women to go into agriculture regardless of their status.
The Director-General of NCWD, Mrs Mary Ekpere-Eta said that girls had the right to safe and secured quality education and skills with the potential to change the world.
“It is in regards that the centre pursues programmes based on the recognition that women’s economic empowerment is the first step to freedom.
“In this regard, the programmes are structured to give the beneficiary a voice and confidence to cope in an environment where competition is the order of the day and innovation is required to stay afloat,” she said.
Ekpere-Eta said that the outcome of the summit would draw the attention of policy makers to the critical issues and concerns that had continued to plaque women and girls.
“This is with the view to strategically address and include the issues in the strategic implementation the plan of the current administration,’’ she said. (NAN)
