Women Affairs Minister calls for strategy to promote local fabrics at global market
The Honorable Minister of Women Affairs, Barr Uju Kennedy Ohanenye has reiterated her Ministry’s resolve to showcase Nigeria made fabrics to the global market in fulfillment of the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu anchored on poverty eradication and job creation.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Ohaeri Osondu Joseph, Fnipr, Fcai, Special Assistant, Media, Making this disclosure during a public presentation of newly acquired industrial, embroidery and cutting machines for the upgraded sewing factory of the Ministry, the Minister stated that “these machines form part of our plans towards sustainable empowerment of women to be self -reliant and contribute their quotas at the family levels and also bolster the nation’s economic growth. For us, when our women are provided with sustained empowerment, the pressure will reduce for our men, the issue of out-of-school children can be addressed because the women will complement their husbands in catering for the home” she said.
According to her, “these industrial machines will form part of our upgrading plans at the Women Development Centre sewing factory in Abuja even as we will extend this arrangement across the geo-political zones to deepen our resolve to empower Nigerian women. We have concluded arrangements with some foreign investors to push our locally made fabrics to the global market to attract more revenue for our women” she concluded.
Also speaking, the House Committee Chairman on Science Research Institutions, Hon. Beni Lar commended the Minister for her resolute and dogged approach towards addressing the plight of women and the vulnerable children in Nigeria. She also commended the Ministry’s initiative to showcase Nigeria made fabrics which underscores the willingness of the present dispensation to change the narrative through gender inclusivity.
In a related development, the Minister also received the first batch of Tricycles under the Pink Riders Transport scheme designed to provide women with branded Tricycles as part of measures to further empower and create jobs for them towards strengthening their capacity to contribute to national growth.
She added that the scheme has been structured through a partnership with a financial institution that will provide three stages of banking services: to provide loans for the women to procure the Tricycles, to pay back the loans without interests and to save money towards procuring their own Tricycles.
All these initiatives form part of the Minister’s projection towards marking 100 days in office.
