TheNewsGuru

Tag: Women

  • Access Bank partners Lagos State Government to launch N10billion loan portfolio for women

    Access Bank partners Lagos State Government to launch N10billion loan portfolio for women

    Africa’s largest retail bank, Access Bank Plc., yesterday collaborated with the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) to launch the LSETF W Initiative aimed at economically empowering women in Lagos State.

    The initiative, which has a total loan portfolio of N10billion, is targeted at women-owned businesses (with at least 50% ownership share) in operation for 1-5 years.

    While delivering his address, Access Bank Group Managing Director, Herbert Wigwe said: “Access Bank is fully committed to bridging the existing gap and provide women with the support they need to successfully implement their business ideas”.

    “Looking at the number of women present here today, I don’t think the initial N4billion we set aside to help women will be sufficient and based on that, the initiative fund will be increased to N10billion. Through partnerships with organisations such as LSETF, Access Bank will continue to help women break boundaries, reinvent the status-quo and take advantage of opportunities provided by technology and quality financial systems to make significant impact on the economy of Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole,” Wigwe added.

    Delivering his keynote address, the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed his delight at the timeliness of the initiative, including its immense opportunities for residents in the state.

    “The LSETF W Initiative has come at a very critical time for our economy, as we believe that women have a great role to play towards achieving the developmental results that we seek in our state,” said Sanwo-Olu.

    “It is important to leverage on the accumulation of resources built through relationships, trust, goodwill, and influence between the State and other private sector stakeholders to make things happen quickly. We are very proud of Access Bank as they continue to make available their financial and business expertise as well as their funds towards ensuring that our women are given adequate access to resources that will aid their successes,” he added.

    Access Bank has a long history of supporting female empowerment, offering over 8,000 personal loans valued at over N10.6billion since 2018, with over 330 loans given to women in business valued at over N16.6billion.

  • Gov. Okowa apologises to women as 17 commissioners are sworn-in

    Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Tuesday in Asaba swears in 17 commissioners into his cabinet with apologies to women for not being adequately represented as commissioners.
    The governor had on July 3 sworn in the first batch of eight commissioners which had one woman, Mrs Flora Alantan, as Commissioner for Women Affairs.
    With Tuesday’s swearing-in of 17 commissioners, the number of commissioners drawn from the 25 Local Government Areas of the state is now 25 with just one woman.
    While eight commissioners have been assigned portfolios, 17 were yet to get their portfolios.
    The commissioners assigned portfolios include Mrs Flora Alatan, Chief James Augoye (Works), Mr Basil Ganagana (Energy), Mr Peter Mrakpor (Justice) and Prof. Patrick Muoboghare (Higher Education).
    Others are Chief Festus Ochonogor (Housing), Chief Chika Ossai (Commerce and Industry) and Chief Patrick Ukah (Basic and Secondary Education).
    Those yet to get port folios include Messrs Fidelis Tilije, Lawrence Ejiofor, Pere Gbe, Julius Egbedi, Churchill Amagada, Arthur Akpowowo, Martin Okonta, Charles Aniagwu and Ifeanyi Egwuyanga.
    Others are Dr Mordi Ononye, Messrs Movie Oghoore, Emmanuel Amgbabuba, Gbubemi Ikolo, Matthew Tsekiri, Christian Onogba, Omamofe Pirah and Henry Sakpra.
    Okowa, while performing the function, said that the political appointment was not favourable to women and had tendered apology while pledging a better representation for women in subsequent appointments.
    He, however, said that it was a very rigorous task for him to select the commissioners given the pressure and the many qualified persons in the state.
    He said though it was not possible to give everybody appointment but that he would do all within his power to ensure that more people were accommodated.
    The governor charged the appointees to ensure that they humbled themselves, respected and carried everybody along.
    “I want to apologise to women, it is not easy to balance out the various pressure from our local government areas but I want to reassure the women that in other areas of appointments, I will bring my discretion in fullest that women will be adequately represented.
    “We are sorry everybody cannot be a commissioner, this administration will strive to ensure that all who laboured will be rewarded.
    “To the commissioners, be humble; being a commissioner does not mean you are better than others, it is a call to higher responsibility, hence you must resist temptation to look down on others.
    “Again, always bear in mind that power is transient, after your tenure as commissioner, you cannot but go back home, whether you will be well received, depends on how you conducted yourselves,” he said.
    Responding on behalf of the commissioners, Tilije thanked God and the governor for finding them worthy to serve in his cabinet.
    He pledged their resolve to work assiduously to justify the essence of the appointment.

  • Appoint more women in your cabinet – Reps tell Buhari

    Appoint more women in your cabinet – Reps tell Buhari

    From Jonas Ike, Abuja

    The House of Representatives on Thursday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure equity and fairness by appointing more women in his cabinet noting that women representation in federal positions had been abysmally low.
    The resolution followed the adoption of a motion by Hon. Omowumi Ogunlola on the matter on the floor of the House
    Debating the motion, Ogunlola noted that Nigeria is blessed with women of high academic stature some of who have leadership qualities and some have held exalted positions with high levels of responsibilities, both in Nigeria and international
    organisations.
    She further noted that out of 469 members of the National Assembly, only 19 are women with 12 of them in the House of Representatives and 7 in the Senate.
    The lawmaker also noted that the aggregate of the two figures in terms of percentage representation is 4.1% which is not in accord with international best practices.
    She said: ” aware that this development does not also abide with the resolution at Women Conference in Beijing China in 1995 where it was urged that women should be recognised and given responsible positions in Governments”.
    She also said that women are equal partners in political and socio-economic development of any nation and Nigeria cannot be an exception.
    The lawmaker added that this anomaly can be corrected by President Muhammadu Buhari appointing more women into his cabinet and also appointing them to head agencies of government.
    Consequently, when the House presided by the Speaker Hon Femi Gbajabiamila put the matter to a voice vote, the lawmakers voted for it.
    The Speaker further mandated the relevant House Committee (yet to be constituted) to ensure compliance to the resolution.

  • Abducted Kagara women regain freedom

    Information reaching TNG has it that the Sister-in-Law of the Chief of Staff of Niger state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello and the other woman kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Kagara town of Niger state have been released.
    According to sources, the abducted women were released in another State that is far away from Niger state after the payment of ransom.
    However, none of the parties were ready to disclose if the ransom was paid or not but a source close to the families disclosed that the families paid ransom for the release of the women.
    The women after their release were placed under medication as the trauma they had were telling on them.
    When contacted to confirm the release of the women, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abubakar Muhammad said that they are still working to get the women rescued.
    He insisted that if there is any news about the women, the media would be contacted.
    It would be recalled that about a week ago, some unknown gunmen kidnapped the sister-in-law of the Chief of Staff to the Niger state Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe and one other woman in Kagara town in Niger state.
    The husbands of the two women are Special Marshalls in the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kagara.
    The gunmen had stormed Kagara town shooting sporadically before abducting the two women to an unknown destination.

  • Women cheat more than men- Leo Da Silva

    Women cheat more than men- Leo Da Silva

    Big Brother Naija 2018 contestant, Leo Babarinde Dasilva has stirred controversy with a recent statement he made about the gender that cheats the most.
    The suave dude who has been linked romantically with Cee-C said women cheat more than men.
    Leo made this known via his Twitter handle. According to him, even when women are caught cheating, a lot of men don’t talk about it because of their ego.
    “Women cheat more than men, they barely get caught.Even If they get caught, a lot of men don’t tak about it because of their ego.
    His statement has elicited a myriad of opinions from Nigerians on social media.
     
    Read the reactions gathered by TheNewsGuru below
    @Doll: Not true Leo! Men do cheat more than women especially here in Africa kuz they always believe they can get away with it! And what “ego” are you talking about ??
    @Rich Daddy: Truer words have never been said!
    @Ped: Gbam! Their own na shop clean mouth…..serious cheaters.
    @Cajetan: Well some guys are like that and he ask and she eventually get angry they will beg to save the relationship because the guy may be better than him in bed or in pocket…but me i don”t try to beg if she don”t go down on her kneel with hands up she will no where she belong.
    @Genesis1: Right from the garden of Eden. Don’t ever trust a woman, just live with them. Adam never had any issues with God until mama showed up. The devil love the woman so much and the woman love flirting with the devil. Them sabi gossip…..that is how it got started
     

  • Psychologist says more women attempt suicide than men

    Psychologist says more women attempt suicide than men

    Miss Titi Tade, Clinical Psychologist, Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN) on Saturday said more women attempted suicide than men.
     
    Tade made the assertion while delivering a lecture titled, ‘Depression, vis-à-vis Suicide Rate in the Country, at the July Congress of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Lagos State Chapter
    According to her, while more women attempt suicide, women also have more chances of survival than men.
    Tade, also a Deputy Director, Medical Social Services at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital(LUTH), noted that this was so because women were more prone to depression than men.
     
    She said women also were more likely to seek help out of depression than the men.
    “More women attempt suicide than men and more women survive suicide attempt than men because the method they adopt or substances they take for the suicide are usually milder than the men.
    “Out of five women that attempt suicide, four have the tendency to survive, while only one out of five men that attempt such survive,” she said.
    According to the psychologists, over 90 per cent of suicide cases are caused by depression.
    Tade said 78 per cent of suicide cases globally occurs in the underdeveloped countries while the developed countries record only 22 per cent.
    According to her, suicide is a mental case and it kills about one million people daily, while youths and children of about five years are also involved.
    “Suicide occurs in every 40 seconds and about 20 to 25 people attempt it, but do not succeed.
    “The second highest cause of suicide is failed relationship, while others are terminal or physical illness, genetic factor, cultural factor, social isolation, bereavement, unemployment, amongst others,” she said.
    Tade advised Nigerians to reduce stigmatisation, discrimination on mental health issues, over spiritualism and improve communication as well as school mental health programme.
    She also urged the government to address the issue of shortage of mental health professionals while the media should desist from its sensational reporting of suicide cases towards curbing the menace.
    Mrs Adeola Ekine, Chairman, NAWOJ, Lagos Chapter, lauded the Psychologist for mentoring the association’s members and sharing from her wealth of experience.
    Ekine encouraged women to be closer to their children and give them adequate and effective advise that would guide them to take the right steps in life, as cases of youths involved in suicide were on the increase.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that over 30 members of the association attended the congress.

  • Violence Against Women – Forget #Metoo, we need #Youtoo to Stand with Women – Nkiru Balonwu

    Senator Elisha Abbo’s behavior is deplorable. This is not debatable. The footage that’s been released of him violently beating a woman inside a shop is simultaneously shocking and familiar for many (African) women. It’s obvious that this vicious behavior must be condemned, now. We at AWB join the global voices demanding for Senator Abbo’s immediate removal from office. Period.
    Let’s dive deeper. What we also know in our hearts as Africans and global citizens is that regrettably, bringing someone in power to justice, principally when the issue is a charge of violence against women, is the exception globally. Ask yourself how often we have seen our nation’s brutalizers not just behind bars, but shamed rather than excused by their counterparts for harming women? We, alongside a whole force of courageous minds, will work tirelessly to ensure that Senator Abbo faces the justice he deserves for his actions. We will call for jail time, fines, his impeachment from office; but we’re also not naïve enough to realize that he just might evade a real responsibility that our society once treasured: the respect for and protection of our women.
    Where are our men?
    Where are our African men? Where are our men who will stand with women? Who will protect the agency of our women and protect the space for them to be unapologetically female? Who will deflect the hands of our attackers? Where are our men who will say, no, we don’t do that here?
    The Abbo footage shows that while the Senator is attacking a woman, he is flanked by multiple men who say little and do nothing. As the Senator’s hits land on the woman’s head, these bystanders swiftly lose all innocence and become complicit as they allow the beating to happen. Towards the close of the video, some of the men decide to put themselves between the attacker and the woman. Imagine if they had made that decision from the start. What could have been prevented?
    In this movement that AWB is wielding to advance the causes of African women, our focus is not just on this specific violent incident with Senator Abbo. We are also agonizingly disheartened by the recent Busola Dakolo interview, wherein she shares in detail an account of being raped by Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo; but the issue is far greater than these moments. Adeptly, we know that these men are just today’s face of a twisted system, a synthetic fabric laced with blind eyes in the countless cases of violence against women.
    Men as allies, not accomplices
    It is this system, this violent culture that we’re really gunning for. We’re after the individuals who backlashed against Dakolo’s testimony. We’re after the individuals, male and female, who excuse the violent manifestations of the anger of men which happen daily. In this type of social environment, women are having to constantly police themselves to exist in a culture that views them as guilty and deserving of violence. How then are they expected to achieve with countless individuals actively allowing abuse to be directed at them? Staying silent on this issue, standing on the sidelines is equivalent to choosing the side of the abuser.
    Men, we need you. We women share this earth with you and cannot afford to be disunited from you. This means we demand to be included in the heavily-male saturated halls of power and also need your presence and power behind our causes for equity and justice. We need you as our allies: our Fathers, Brothers, Husbands and Sons. We need you on this global task force to right societal wrongs. We cannot make sustainable change without you on board, without you using your agency to protect the whole.
    #Youtoo
    The shift in western culture which has been sped up by movements like #metoo and TIMES UP, have not reached us here on the continent. But we still need something that works. We must ask ourselves, what kind of society gives men who witness violence being done against women reason to decide it’s not their business. Why are we siding with oppressors?
    There is no neutral position, when the attacker is on one side victimizing another. We are talking about the survival of our people.
    This is a societal, cultural and business-based issue. If you continue to hurt half of your population, your industry, your workforce, then you bind your own hands from achieving growth. The vision of a prosperous and outward looking Africa that was forged at the turn of the millennium and the start of the internet age is now in danger of being eroded again, by the archaic and barbaric perpetuation of unchecked male power within our society. Instead of debating the veracity of survivors’ testimonies, as we often do with the #metoo movement, we are turning the focus on you, because #Youtoo can be an agent, an activist in this zeitgeist for equality for all.
    We at AWB, beseech you to stand with African women. We are a non-profit organization run by African women for African women. Our goal is to amplify African female voices, support African female empowerment and help to create a world in which African women and girls across all classes, including those of the diaspora, are given the tools and resources they need to fully realise their potentials.
    Dr. Nkiru Balonwu is CEO RDF Strategies and Chair of African Women on Board.

  • Women, girls not safe in Nigeria- Simi

    Women, girls not safe in Nigeria- Simi

    Popular songstress, Simi has stated that women and girls are no longer safe in Nigeria. The award winning singer revealed that the country does not treat women well when it comes to cases of rape and assault
    An angry Simi on Wednesday highlighted the danger Nigerian women face via her Instagram page.
    She wrote: “Women, even little girls are not safe in this country. First, there is oppression, abuse.
    “When something does happen to you, nobody fights for you. The family says ‘Protect our name’, the church says ‘touch not my anointed’.
    “The government just does not give. So men, please when people are fighting for women, say they are feminists and want equal rights for women, I hope you remember how unprotected they are and fight with them.
    “Women, when you see another woman fighting for you and your rights if you don’t like the approach because you think everything is all about submission.
    “Your life is constantly at stake if it hasn’t touched you yet, count your blessings. Open your eyes, the world does not favour you. Fight back.
    “As for these animals, you can only slap and rape for so long. One by one, judgement will find you and drag you down. I know men go through sexual assault too!
    “I acknowledge it but women and children are more vulnerable. Let’s fight for and protect the most vulnerable in the society,” Simi said.
    Simi’s statement is coming in the wake of the rape allegation leveled on Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo by Busola Dakolo and a viral surveillance footage that showed Senator Elisha Abbo physically assaulting a woman in an Abuja shop with the assistance of a policeman.
     

  • Reduce your talks, join politics, Buhari’s wife tells Nigerian women

    First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Thursday said it was high time women stopped talking and moved into action to curb women disparity in politics.

    Buhari who was represented by Mrs Pauline Tallen, Former Deputy Governor, of Plateau, made the call at a two-day National Conference on Women’s political Participation in Nigeria: Post-2019 General Elections.

    She commended women who made an attempt to contest in the last elections although most of them were denied against the wishes of the electorate.

    “It is a sad situation, it is heart breaking, but we must learn to do thing differently; its high time we reduced the talking and moved into action.

    “It is time for action and we are calling with a big and loud voice to all our political parties and INEC chairman to do what their counterparts are doing in other countries by promoting women.

    “We have very capably women that can contest any position in Nigeria; we are in a man’s world we can only succeed if we have the support of the men.”

    Buhari said that on her part, she was persisting on the president to do something different by giving women a quota system just like in other climes.

    She said that was how other women were succeeding in other countries adding that an amendment of the electoral law would also give women an edge.

    She said that statistics on women participation in politics in Nigeria was heartbreaking adding that “we must rethink and do everything possible that will earn us the name of being the giant of Africa.”

    Earlier, Mrs Ebere Ifendu, President, Women in Politics said that a record of 2,970 women contested elections into different positions in the 2019 general elections but only 67 got elected across the nation.

    Ifendu said that a breakdown of the elected members show that no women was elected as president, vice president or governor while only seven were elected to the senate.

    She said that 12 were elected to the House of Representatives and 44 to the State Assemblies with about 11 states without a female member.

    She said that Nigerian women went to the elections with high expectations but the overall level of representation of women in politics remained a cause for concern as the number elected continued to dwindle.

    Ms Comfort Lamptey, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS said the conference was aimed at examining the 2019 elections in terms of women’s participation.

    Lamptey said the conference would also look at the lessons learnt from the 2019 elections, approaches adopted by stakeholders to support women and outline an action plan for a robust engagement ahead of 2023.

    She said that UNwomen would continue to support Nigeria to expand the political space for women because it was necessary to ensure attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and build inclusive and lasting democracy.

    Dr Hadiza Balarabe, Deputy Governor Kaduna state, urged women not to give up but support each other by being their ‘sisters’ keeper to win elections.

    Balarabe also urged them to build their capacity in politics and all other walks of life because it would help them greatly as in other smaller countries women were doing well.

    Said she: “Nigeria must do it; other smaller countries should learn from us and us from them.”

    The conference was organised with support from UNwomen, the European Centre for Electoral Support (ECES) Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Nigeria Women’s Trust Fund and Women in Politics.

  • Nigeria ranks 181 out of 193 countries with highest number of women in politics

    Nigeria ranks 181 out of 193 countries with highest number of women in politics

    Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) says Nigeria currently ranks 181 out of 193 countries polled in terms women’s participation in politics.

    Dr Joy Onyesoh, Country Director, WILPF Nigeria, said this on Thursday in Abuja.

    Onnyesoh was speaking during the National Conference on Women’s Participation in Nigeria: Post 2019 General Elections, in a presentation on “Incidences of Violence against Women during the 2019 Elections.

    She said Nigeria’s low ranking in women’s political participation was as a result of myriad of challenges such as violence, intimidation, sexual assault and lack of internal party democracy that women faced.

    “Discrimination against women linked to social, legal, cultural and economic factors, violent nature of politics in Nigeria among others, are hindrances to women’s participation in politics.

    “There are trails of violence against women in the 2019 elections right from the party primaries to campaigns; it is so bad that some women were raped during the elections.

    “We need a sector-wide electoral violence prevention (EVP) strategy to curb this menace,” she said.

    Onyesoh said that women in particular should play key roles in EVP activities, including the development of early warning and response systems, given their particular vulnerability to gender-based violence.

    This, she said would go a long way in curbing violence against them, especially during elections.

    Ms Comfort Lamptey, UN Women representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, said 23 years after the establishment of 30 per cent quota for women’s political representation, the average was still low.

    Lamptey said that the average still stood at only 15 per cent in elected assemblies and 17 per cent in governments in Africa, compared to the global average of 23 per cent in parliaments and five per cent for heads of government.

    She said after the 2019 election in Nigeria, only 4.5 per cent women were elected into office, a decline from the 2015 elections, where elected women constituted 5.6 per cent.

    She said there were significant structural barriers to women participation in politics and leadership that needed to be addressed, especially within political parties who resisted inclusion of women.

    According to her, other barriers are; an electoral system that makes it tougher for women to compete on equal footing, women’s limited access to funds, harmful gender-based stereotypes in media, etc.

    She said Nigeria should build the political will to achieve gender balance in political and public circles by eliminating discriminatory laws including in family, property, labour etc.

    Lamptey advocated for zero tolerance for violence against women in politics and public life, and a firm commitment to gender equality and women’s rights, as enshrined in parity laws and legal reforms.

    Earlier, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the commission was committed to an all-inclusive government with particular attention to marginalised women.

    Yakubu who was represented by Prof. Anthonia Simbine, National Commissioner, INEC, reiterated commitment of the commission in championing electoral reforms that would enhance women’s participation in politics.