Business
BoI Partners AfDB On Funding For Women-Owned Businesses
The Bank of Industry says it is currently collaborating with the African Development Bank (AfDB) on the launch and implementation of the 300 million dollars Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA).
Managing Director, BoI, Mr Olukayode Pitan, made this known at the Bank’s webinar themed:” Recognising Wom-en’s Leadership In Enhancing Nigeria’s Covid-19 Recovery” to celebrate International Women’s Day.
Pitan said the AFAWA fund was expected to unlock three billion dollars in private sector financing to empower female entrepreneurs through capacity building development.
He added that the fund would grant women access to finance as well as spearhead legal policy and regulatory reforms to support enterprises led by women.
Pitan said that the bank was also partnering with Islamic Development Bank to implement the Business Resilience Assistance for Value-adding Enterprise (BRAVE) Women Nigeria project.
“BRAVE Nigeria is part of a larger 32.2 million dollars five-year initiative coordinated by the Islamic Development Bank.
“The project combines training and grant-matching to support the growth and resilience of women-led enterprises in spite of their challenging operating environment.
“Furthermore, BOI invest-ed 10 million dollars in the Alitheia Fund, also toward supporting Nigerian women-led businesses, some of which will be export-oriented.
“In addition, the Nigerian Content Intervention (NCI) Fund, a partnership between the BOI and Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has allo-cated 20 million dollars as an intervention fund to women businesses in the oil and gas sector.
“These are just a few of the initiatives the Bank of Industry is engaged in to promote female gender equality, especially as it relates to business financing and support.
“We believe that our support to female entrepreneurship will not only revitalise their businesses during this pandemic, but will enable them to thrive beyond it and close the inequality gap.
“BOI remains committed in our drive to support women; and I encourage other organisations to do the same, because when women win, the society wins,” he said.
The BoI managing director said that the International Women Day (IWD) the-me: ”Choose To Challenge”, highlighted the importance of challenging biases, stereotypes and misconceptions in the interest of creating a more inclusive and gender-equal world.
He said that establishment of the bank’s gender business desk, which catered specifically for female entrepreneurs had successfully disbursed close to N100 billion to over 1,500 women-led enterprises.
“In addition to financial support, the gender desk also provides much needed business advisory and capacity building services, leveraging our strategic partnerships with more than 300 Business Development Service Providers (BDSP) nationwide.
“It is believed that if Nigeria enhances gender equality in the labour market, politics, legal system, education and healthcare, it could add 1.25 percent points to the eco-nomy.
“Despite what we know now, the representation of women at decision making level is still minimal as today, he said.
“There are only 25 countries that have elected women as Heads of State or Government – just about 11 per cent of all countries and territories in the world.
“Beyond participation in the political space, representation of women in the corporate sphere is very much skewed as only eight per cent of Fortune 500 companies are led by females.
“Yes, it is safe to say that we have made progress over the years, yet, it is far from acceptable and insufficient to meet the Sustainable Development Goal Five to ‘Achieve Gender Equality and Empower all Women and Girls’.
“The female gender have also been marginalised when it comes to access to finance.
“The gender financing gap in Africa is believed to be 42 billion dollars between men and women.
“This is a worrisome statistic and at the Bank of Industry, we continue to take deliberate steps to address issues around gender equality in entrepreneurship,” he said.
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Governorship candidate of The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Rivers State, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, has called on politicians and other stakeholders in the state not to make the governorship seat of Rivers State an ethnic agenda.
Chief Lulu-Briggs, who said this in an interview with newsmen shortly after arrival from Abuja, also blamed the alleged unenviable position of Rivers State among the comity of states in the country on the political class.
He said stakeholders must avoid a situation where the state would be plunged into another round of political crisis, adding that given the ethnic and cultural diversity of the state, it was necessary to give everyone a sense of inclusion by ensuring that the governorship seat rotates among the ethnic nationalities.
The NDC governorship flag bearer condemned the alleged intimidation of the electorate, noting that the situation has underdeveloped the state.
He said, if elected, his administration would provide the democratic dividends that will improve the lives of the people.
In a similar development, the state chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Rivers State, Mr Success Jack, says his party will run an all inclusive government in the state.
Mr Jack, who spoke to newsmen in Port Harcourt, promised that an NDC controlled government will always consult with the people before taking any decisions.
According to him, based on his party’s ideology of “Solid, Strong Accommodating”, the NDC offers hope to the hopeless and the downtrodden.
“We assure you that we are fully ready. Our party is a platform that is open to everybody whether APC or PDP, we offer hope. Our ideology is Solid, Strong, Accommodating. The manifesto of our party is anchored on the ideology of providing genuine service to the people”.
Mr Jack also stressed that the policies of an NDC government would be crafted in such a way and manner that serves the primary and secondary interests of the people.
“This is not what you find in other parties.What you find in other parties is utmost impunity, absolute impunity, where the people are not included, they are not consulted and so their opinion does not count, they don’t know what government wants to do because they didn’t contribute to what government wants to do.
“That’s not the case here. We listen to the people, even provide the way forward, (and) the details for the way forward because we provide the framework as a government but the people will provide the details because they are the ones that wear the shoes and they know where it pinches them”, he said.
By: John Bibor
The Nigerian Navy says it is expanding its infrastructures and training to tackle emerging security threats
Navy also said the service is aimed at strengthening operational efficiency across formations and units nationwide.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas stated this during the inauguration of projects at the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School (NNBTS) in Onne, Rivers, as part of activities marking the Nigerian Navy’s 70th anniversary.
Represented by the Flag Officer Commanding, Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC), Rear Adm. Ebiobowei Zipele, Abbas said the projects reflected significant progress made by the Navy since its establishment in 1956 from the British Royal Navy.
“Training and infrastructure have improved significantly to meet contemporary security challenges and fulfil the Navy’s constitutional responsibilities.”
According to him, the anniversary provides the navy an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and contributions over the past seven decades.
Projects inaugurated included a remodelled female trainees’ hostel accommodating more than 500 occupants and an expanded golf course upgraded from one to nine holes.
Others facilities include the NNBTS fuel dump, Chief Boatswain’s Mate House, renovated pharmacy department and a new theatre block at the Naval Medical Centre, Onne.
Abbas described the new theatre as a major milestone for the navy’s medical services.
“Previously, injured personnel requiring surgeries were referred outside the facility.
With this theatre, surgeries can now be conducted within the base”, he said.
He added that a 30KVA inverter had also been installed to guarantee uninterrupted electricity supply at the training school.
The Naval chief assured officers, ratings and trainees that the Navy leadership remained committed to their welfare and wellbeing.
“These infrastructure upgrades show the commitment of the Chief of Naval Staff to addressing operational and welfare challenges promptly,” he said.
NAVTRAC also distributed educational materials to pupils of Community Primary Schools One and Two, Ogale, in Ebubu-Eleme area.
Items distributed included exercise books, school bags and other writing materials as part of the navy’s civil-military engagement initiative.
Zipele said the outreach was designed to strengthen relations between the navy and host communities while supporting children’s education.
“Education remains critical to national growth and youth empowerment. Some of these pupils may eventually serve in the Nigerian Navy,” he said.
He noted that the initiative demonstrated the navy’s commitment to educational development, peace, security and sustainable community relations.
Zipele urged the pupils to remain disciplined, focused and committed to their studies while embracing patriotism, integrity and hard work.
He thanked the Ebubu community for its continued support for the naval training command headquarters and the navy.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
Rivers State Governor, Sir. Siminalayi Fubara says Airport road will soon be accessible only for Airport activities in the state.
The Governor said this recently while inspecting the level l0of construction work on the Igwuruta By-Pass Road project in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
The Governor who expressed optimism over the progress of work on the project, saying the By-pass road will reduced unrelated activities on the Airport area in the state.
Governor Fubara explained that the By-pass road was designed in collaboration with the host community to address accessibility concerns while preserving the operational integrity of the airport corridor.
“So, we liaised with the community and created this By-pass,” he stated.
The governor further clarified the objective of the road project, saying it would provide the residents with a dedicated access route separate from the airport operations.
“The purpose of the By-pass is so needful that the community can have this as their own way, their own entrance, while the airport will remain only for airport activity once these roads are completed,” he said.
Providing an update on the pace of work, Fubara disclosed that the project had already achieved a major milestone in execution.
“So far, they’ve done about 65% of the job,” the governor announced,
revealing that contractors handling the project had assured the state government of timely delivery.
He also expressed confidence that the bypass would be completed before October.
“They’re also promising that before October, the total project will be delivered,” he added.
By: Enoch Epelle
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