Nation
SMEDAN Empowers 80 Bauchi Women With Agro-Business Skills
The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has conducted a five-day entrepreneurship development training and empowerment programme for 80 women on agribusiness in Bauchi State.
The Director General of SMEDAN, Mr Olawale Fasanya, who spoke at the closing of the training in Bauchi last Friday, said the programme was initiated under “Women in Self Employment Programme (WISE-P)”.
According to him, the programme was initiated by the agency with special focus on women who are into farming and agribusiness production.
Represented by Mr Mahmood Isa, the North East Zonal Coordinator of SMEDAN, Fasanya said a lot of women were into farming, adding that many others had indicated the willingness to take up farming or agri-business as a means of livelihood and self-employment.
He, however, said they had limitations for lack of requisite skills, access to market and finanacial muscle required to successfully progress, hence the introduction of the programme by SMEDAN.
“The programme is designed to provide entrepreneurship training, vocational training, empowerment with common facilities and delivery of business development service to 80 participants per state across six selected states for phase one.
“Today, the first phase of the programme is commencing simultaneously in six states of Osun, Ebonyi, Katsina, Bauchi, Ekiti and Kwara.
“The WISE-P is designed basically to promote self-reliance amongst women and to empower them to achieve improved productivity and sustainability in businesses in terms of crop farming and agro- processing along the value chains.
“It is also to boost production of raw materials for industrial use and development because it is said that when you train a woman, you train a nation and when you empower a woman, you have liberated the nation.”
He further explained that all the beneficiaries would be empowered with the necessary support and equipment to ease their means of doing business.
Fasanya also said one of the objectives of the programme was to facilitate and link women farmers to resources required to enhance their farming businesses, to make it a sustainable occupation.
He added that the programme was also to expose the beneficiaries to practical hands-on training on the use of modern farming techniques as well as to build their capacities and inculcate the principles of value addition to farm produce.
Zainab Abdulkadir, who spoke on behalf of beneficiaries, appreciated the Federal Government and SMEDAN for the kind gesture.
She added that the exercise had exposed her and her colleagues to the modern ways of farming and other agricultural activities.
According to her, they have acquired a lot of knowledge that would help them to improve their businesses and urged SMEDAN to help look into capital challenges faced by many women farmers across the country.
The Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta (MOSIEND) has called on the Management of Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC to embark on the water projects in Buguma city in Asari Toru Local Government Area, Rivers state
The Group called on the Rivers state government to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
On the water project in Buguma, MOSIEND said the population of Buguma has increased tremendously as the residents need more water projects to enhance the daily livelihood of the people
The Group also appealed to the Chairman of the council to assist in making the project a reality and attracts more developmental projects to the city
This call was on Rhythm 93.7 FM Port Harcourt, Radio program, Talk of the Town, by MOSIEND Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn alongside Mark Ojuka,Chairman of Buguma and Hon Sandra Owunari JP Chairman Obuama and monitored by our correspondent
Comrade Ojuka also called on the Management of Liquidifed Natural Gas NLG to embark on a free medical outreach in all Kala bari communities to improve their health status
He appealed to LNG to award scholarship to indigens of Kalabari communities in tertiary institutions to better their education, noting the company is doing same in Bonny, abandoning Kalabari communities
“We need contracts, free medical, scholarships and employment including skill acquisition programs for our teeming youths in Kalabari extractions ”
On Security, Mark Ojuka said security in Buguma is at zero level with the help of the Ama Ma soldiers the city is more peaceful and investors friendly as the youths of area have cordial relationship with the security agencies in the area
“Security is very secured in Buguma clan”
He called on the Rivers state to revamp the Buguma fish farm to create employment for the teeming youths
“The youths are asking for human capacity building in the area to reduce unemployment”
“The revamping of the Buguma fish farm will also reduce youth violence”
Also Speaking, Eastern Zonal Coordinator of MOSIEND Half Hour Comrade Tammy Bruce Longjohn called for more improve in infrastructures in Kalabari community, especially in electricity
There is little improvement in terms of electricity in Buguma city
He decried the deplorable condition
of Buguma Health Centre, saying that the hospital is near functional
“Our sisters that are pregnant and our sick parents can not access the health centre for a better treatment ”
Describing the Health Centre as an eye saw, he called on Rivers state government and Buguma Local Government chairman Hon William to improve on facilities in the centre and make it more medically accessible to the sick persons in the area
Buguma, Tammy Bruce said is the spiritual headquarter of Kalabari people as such deserve more modern facilities from the government to improve lives
The Coordinator called on government, stakeholders and oil companies to assist and improve the poor infrastructural facilities in area
“We need first class hospitals, qualified medical doctors and nurses in the health centres and hospitals”
On the oil spilled in Obuoma Chairman MOSIEND Obuoma, Hon Sandra Owunari said the spill destroyed their crops and Rivers even polluted their only source of drinking water
She expressed displeasure that Rivers state government did not send any relief materials to the people in the affected community
On Chieftaincy title to women in Obuama, Hon Sandra Owunari said the community do not install Chieftaincy title to women, saying that Chieftaincy title is only reserved for men only in the community
CHINEDU WOSU
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