Maritime
COWA Champions Campaign Against Maternal Mortality
The President of the Customs Officers Wives Association COWA, Kikelomo Adeniyi, has called for urgent and collective efforts to tackle maternal mortality in Nigeria.
Adeniyi made the call during an empowerment and sensitization programme organized by COWA, at the Apapa Customs Command, in Lagos.
The event which has its theme “Empowering Families, Enriching Lives,” brought together women from the customs community to discuss maternal health and economic empowerment.
Adeniyi described the persistent loss of women during childbirth as a preventable tragedy urging women to prioritize regular hospital visits, antenatal checks, and self-care.
“Maternal mortality is something we should all put our hands on deck to tackle.
“People seem unaware of their options, and that is why we have brought women together to discuss it today,” she said,
The President lamented recent cases of deaths during childbirth, stressing that proper awareness and access to medical attention can drastically reduce such incidents.
Highlighting the dual responsibilities of women in nurturing their families while safeguarding their own health, Adeniyi explained that COWA’s empowerment initiatives are designed to help women build sustainable livelihoods, particularly in the face of frequent transfers that often take customs officers away from their families.
“We don’t just give them items to work with; we teach them how to manage funds and grow businesses. Some of the women you saw today started training three months ago and have already presented cakes made by them, that is the impact of what we do,”
Earlier, Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, commended COWA for its commitment to female empowerment and social inclusion.
Oshoba lauded the Association’s ongoing initiatives, which include skills acquisition, school interventions, care for special needs children, and business grants, pledging continued support from the Command.
With its growing reach and practical interventions, COWA says it would continue to expand its empowerment programmes across customs formations nationwide, promoting maternal health and economic independence for women.
Participants at the event received sewing machines, ovens, and other tools to support small-scale businesses.
By: Chinedu Wosu