Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Roseline Apawari Uranta , has called on Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) involved in women matters in the State to register with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to enjoy Government patronage.
The Commissioner, who made the call, midweek, when the executives of the “Coalition of Niger Delta Women” paid her a courtesy visit in her office, explained that the call became imperative in view of the fact that the CAC registration opens doors for such groups to get Government support.
She said, “it is only women groups that have such registration that will be affiliated with the Ministry”.
She stated that the present administration under the leadership of Sir Siminalayi Fubara would do everything possible to consolidate on the gains of the immediate past administration to improve on the welfare of women.
Dr Uranta disclosed that to achieve this, the State Government Skill Development Centre for Women would be Commissioned early next month.
She called on the various NGOs in involving women in the State “to feel free and come to the Ministry with vital suggestions to improve the lot of women”.
Uranta thanked the group for the visit which, she said, was the first since she assumed office.
Earlier, President of the group and Deputy Director of Women Affairs, International Human Rights Protection, Mrs Mary Chijioke Mbagwu, had congratulated the Commissioner on her appointment, saying, “you are indeed a round peg in a round hole”.
Mrs Mbagwu said the visit was carried out to rub mind with the Commissioner to plan various programmes to articulate and ascertain critical areas of concerns and strategies for the advancement of women and the girl child.
She further said, “the group’s mission is to have a society in which women of different culture, religion and racial belief can come together and speak in one voice, so that they can achieve their various goals”.