Niger Delta

Mrs Buhari Lauds Women’s Effort In Nation Building

Published

9 years ago

November 14, 2016

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhar,i has commended career women the world over who have proven their mettle as well as contributed to the shapping of the world in various fields of endeavour.

Mrs. Buhari made the commendation during the 2016 African Career Women Summit tagged: “African Career Women in Nation Building”, organized by the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) in collaboration with Excellent Women International, which was held recently at Tinapa Lakeside, Calabar, Cross River State.

Declaring the 3-day summit open in Calabar, Mrs. Buhari, who was represented by the wife of Cross River State Governor, Dr. Linda Ayade, said many women in Nigeria have become household names for their various achievements and contributions in nation building.

The wife of the President maintained that, “no nation will boast of any meaningful development without the participation of their women” adding, “affirmative action is simply a recognition of this and the fact that women are yet to enjoy their deserved pride of place in the building of our nation”.

She advocated for strong family values and enjoined women to mind their homes as well as do all that is necessary and legitimately possible in order to prepare their children for the future, while wishing all the participants fruitful deliberations.

Also speaking, the National President, NCWS, Dr. Gloria Laraba Shoda expressed thanks to Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade, and his wife, as well as the entire people of Cross River State for hosting the summit.

She said that “women have economic and political power as well as engage in trade and industry”, adding that, “the phenomenon of women contributing to the economic growth of a nation is not dead but lives in us”.

Shoda opined that women need more access to market, information, education, funding, micro credit loans to start up their businesses, marketing skills, amongst others, and therefore, called on the government and the private sector to look into the challenges faced by women and assist them to achieve their set goals.

In an address, the National Coordinator, Excellent Women International, Ambassador Christabel Okoye, noted noting that the summit was designed to inform and educate career women on how to better leaders, role models, mothers and better business people, as well as educate women leaders on skills and techniques for initiating, managing and sustaining the continent of Africa.

She disclosed, “the role of African career woman in building her nation cannot be over-emphasized. As mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and career women, our nation is our base and the hope of our children, therefore, our rights and roles in resource planning and management is paramount to sustainable development.

Okoye maintained that “no economy can be healthy without utilizing the contributions and skills of members of the society. Lack of or inadequate participation of women in governance means the exclusion of the greater part of the entire adult population deciding on issues that affect them”.

She, therefore, charged every woman to rise up in her respective offices and become role models against all odds, by ensuring that her voice is heard.

Niger Delta

Stakeholders In Delta Seek Stronger GBV Action, Women’s Leadership

Published

19 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

Stakeholders in Delta State convened in Asaba for a leadership workshop organised by Otdel Health Heritage and Environmental Initiative (OHHEI), focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and women’s participation in decision-making processes.

OHHEI Project Director, Mr. Peter Olayinka, represented by a consultant, Juliet Obiajulu, urged participants to contribute meaningfully toward advancing women’s leadership and combating GBV across communities in the state.

He said the workshop aimed to strengthen participants’ capacity to influence policies, challenge harmful cultural norms, and reinforce initiatives designed to prevent and respond to GBV.

Olayinka said women often faced bias even when they occupied leadership positions, and stressed that gender diversity improved the quality of decision-making and promoted innovation and accountability in governance structures.

Speaking, the Chairperson of the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Mr Eris Jewo-Ibi, identified cultural norms, domestic responsibilities, political resistance, and grassroots barriers as constraints to women’s participation.

Delta State GBV Desk Officer, Mrs. Rosemary Okpuno, emphasised that effective decision-making required women’s perspectives, adding that inclusion remained critical to addressing persistent gender-based challenges.

Voke Angbagh of the Delta State Ministry of Justice outlined penalties for rape and called for the establishment of special courts to handle sexual offences cases.

Angbagh said frequent adjournments delayed justice for survivors, stressing that dedicated sexual offences courts would ensure timely trials and stronger protection for victims in Delta State.

The Tide’s source reports that facilitators identified cultural acceptance of violence, unequal power relations, discrimination, poverty, limited education, and low self-esteem as major drivers of GBV.

They emphasised that violence and exclusion resulted in social, physical and emotional harm, imposed economic costs, reinforced harmful stereotypes, and widened existing gender inequalities.

The source also reports that OHHEI, a local non-profit organisation, focuses on education, health, environment, and social justice, promoting sustainable development initiatives with gender equality at the centre of its interventions.

Niger Delta

C’River Suspends Taskforce Activities Over Drivers’ Protest

Published

19 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Cross River State Government has suspended all taskforce activities connected to commercial transportation and ticketing across the state.

The State Governor, Bassey Otu, announced the suspension at an emergency stakeholders meeting on Friday in Calabar.

It would be recalled that commercial drivers in Calabar metropolis took to streets on Thursday to protest alleged multiple taxation and extortion by government agencies.

During the protest, the drivers alleged that taskforce groups claiming to represent the state government openly harassed and extorted them.

Represented at the meeting by Ekpenyong Akiba, his Special Adviser on General Duties, Otu said the suspension would subsist pending further review of the situation.

The Governor stated that the state government did not commission anyone to extort drivers in the name of task force.

He urged commercial drivers and other road users to remain law-abiding while government worked out a lasting solution.

On his part, the Chairman, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Calabar Metropolis, Mr. Sunday Dennis, expressed optimism that the dialogue would yield positive results.

He said the meeting had provided an opportunity for the aggrieved commercial drivers to present their concerns directly to the state government.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Unified Drivers Association, Mr. Nta Henshaw, described the harassment on drivers as worrisome, and urged the state government to be decisive in resolving the matter.

Niger Delta

A’Ibom Assembly Urges More Private Investments In Agriculture

Published

19 hours ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has called for more private sector investments in agriculture.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Moses Essien, made the call when the committee visited Aviclaire Farms, a private establishment in Usung Idem, Uruk Usoh in Abak Local Government Area.

Essien, who represents Ibiono Ibom in the Assembly, commended the Management of the farm for partnering an NGO, ECEWS, to promote private investment in agriculture.

He commended the partners for adopting climate-smart agriculture initiatives in their operations, adding that such move would promote food security.

“Your interest in using transformative intervention to promote food security is a veritable way of complementing the efforts of the state government,” he said.

The lawmaker continued that adopting practical climate-smart agriculture model would help to generate employment, improve nutrition outcomes, and strengthen food sufficiency.

He further said he was impressed with the strides recorded by the partners, saying, “your investment has created jobs for no fewer than 2,000 youths.

”You are an example of an environment-friendly investor. I urge Akwa Ibom residents to embrace environment-friendly and technology-driven agriculture models,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer, ECEWS, Dr. Andy Eyo, who conducted the committee round the farm, said the collaboration was conceived to demonstrate the viability of climate-smart farming in ensuring food sufficiency.

Eyo said the farm, which commenced operations with four greenhouses, had expanded to 14 within two years, and currently supplying high-quality produce to major markets in Uyo and neighbouring communities.

He said ECEWS was exploring cooperative frameworks to enable rural farmers and women’s groups to adopt greenhouse technology for sustainable livelihoods.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Aviclaire Farms, Mrs. Victoria Eyo, said the controlled-environment ensured precision cultivation and consistent yields.

She further said the farm served as a capacity-building centre for students, interns, and agri-business trainees.