FG establishes rice,
cassava processing plantsIN continuation of its efforts to promote rural industrialization for women, a proposal have been included in this year’s budget for the establishment of rice processing industry in Sokoto state as well as cassava processing plants in Abia and Ekiti states.
The minister of women affairs, Mrs. Inna Maryam Ciroma disclosed this during a ministerial press briefing of her ministry, last week in Abuja.
She said that her ministry has facilitated the establishment of cottage industries across the geo-political zones that include the pottery industry of Kwali in the Federal Capital Territory that has been completed and commissioned last year as well the vegetable oil industry in Damaturu in Yobe state which was also commissioned last year.
According to the minister, work on salt industry, Okpoama in Bayelsa state, has reached 70 per cent and the installation of facilities is expected to be completed early this year.
Mrs. Ciroma revealed that within the period under review, they have been able to facilitate more economic funding opportunities for women.
On the implementation of the Presidential Committee on Financing Agriculture, she said, the federal government has allocated the sum of N500 million agricultural loan facilities to women farmers to access, out of the N5 billion released to farmers in the country for the same purpose.
In the same vein, the minister explained that another $30 million was secured from the International Finance Corporation of New York to boast entrepreneurial activities among women most especially those managing small scale businesses.
The minister who announced that an executive bill on the domestication of the United Nations Convention on the elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is already with the National Assembly, assuring that with the gender-friendly disposition of the current National Assembly, the passage of the bill will be hastened.
Mrs. Ciroma further explained that the child development policy developed by her ministry last year aimed at providing policy guidelines and direction for stakeholders working towards the implementation of the contents of the Child Rights Act.
She said that the new policy will become operational within the first quarter of this year as expected by her ministry, adding that her ministry has adopted a three pronged approach to enhance the capacity building for children on fight against child labour and trafficking.
These according to her include, the establishment of anti-child labour clubs in 10 selected schools in Borno state and Talent Hunt Competition as well as art/printing on selected child labour thematic areas.
She further pointed out that children’s parliament has been established in 26 states of the federation and appealed to remaining 10 states to also establish their own to enable their children have a sense of belonging in the scheme of things.
On the issue of orphans and vulnerable children, the minister said that the federal government has developed a draft national plan of action on orphans and vulnerable children to ensure that they are on the same basis with those of other children and also protect them from every manner of abuse.
She further revealed that a National Consultative Forum on the Almajirai was held in Zamfara state in June last year to draw the attention of relevant stakeholders to fight the menace of Almajiri children, observing that Amajirai have been rendered vulnerable and unable to enjoy the rights guaranteed them by the constitution and other laws.
In his remark, the minister of information and communication, Mr. Frank Nweke (Jnr), commended the ministry of women affairs in the various capacities in which it relates to others and strong hold for women and children.
According to the minister, the ministry is charged with advancing and promoting the cause and welfare of the nation’s women and children, pointing that the ministry has proceeded in tackling the arduous task by an uncommon determination and the results have been outstanding particularly last year.