Ministry, Group Move To Empower African Women

Thousands of women activists from across Nigeria recently converged in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to examine ways of empowering African women.
The event was organised by Women Advancement for Economic and Leadership Empowerment Foundation (WAELE) in collaboration with Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs.
Declaring the event open, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Atosemi Eson Teetito, said the ministry is ready to partner with any organisation whose agenda is to empower the women.
Mrs Teetito, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Dr (Mrs) Camelita Agborubere, regretted that efforts of women at societal development are not being highlighted.
She said women are not only asking for equity, but demanding to be allowed to develop along their special needs.
The leader/founding member of WAELE, Dr (Mrs) Rachael Somiari said the event with the theme: Developing an Entrepreneur and Mentorship was meant to groom the participants with entrepreneurial skills.
Dr (Mrs) Somiari, who is the leader of the Rivers State chapter of the foundation said the objective was to have a strong virile and committed organisation that will continue to champion sustainable emancipation of African women.
She said the foundation which was founded on the 8th of May, 2004, has its branches in 52 African countries.
According to her, “The Rivers State chapter of this organisation was officially inaugurated on the 12th of April, 2019 and got registered with the Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs on the 4th of July 2019.
“Within the period we have had a few projects in Port Harcourt as follows; an outreach programme to feed the less-privileged, a show of zone to our Muslim brethren during the Ramadan fasting in May, 2019, celebrated our 15 years anniversary in ground style, registration of 100 widows in Rivers State awaiting to be empowered by first quarter of next year 2020 and 35 women of Rivers State fully documented for a trip to Tanzania to be trained in agriculture” she said.
In a keynote address, the founder/president, WAELE Africa foundation, Otunba D. Basirat Nahibi, said the seminar was timely in view of the economic situation in the country.
Represented by Mrs Joy Wagbara, she told the women to strive for excellence in business by building their creativity
She listed some obstacles to successful business in Nigeria to include: inconsistent government policy, difficulty in securing loan, poor infrastructures amongst others.