By Henry Uche
With the heightened level of devastations caused by floods and other hazardous incidents ravaging farmers in Nigeria among other Nigerians, the NACCIMA women in Business Group (NAWORG) is urging the State and federal government as well as other Nigerians at large to be pro -women in all ramifications.
NAWORG said men across board must conscientiously work and support women especially those in agricultural sector. This is even as farmers in Nigeria which are dominated by women are counting their losses in almost every part of the country owing to floods.
Recall that farmers across the country in recent time have been overpowered by heinous attacks of herdsmen and other non- state actors who have been a threat to them in different guise, and by implication, such threats have led to shortage of food supply in the country and loss of fortunes for farmers.
Speaking at the Nigerian International Women Entrepreneur Exhibition in Lagos, with the theme: Encouraging Women In Agriculture & Made in Nigeria products for Economic Growth, the National Chairperson of NAWORG, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, emphatically asked government to provide enabling environment for women entrepreneur to thrive in their respective entrepreneurial ventures.
Abubakar who was a former Minister of state, Trade & Investment, said, “We are productive in nature. We have the acumen and strength to deliver, but the government across board must indeed be ‘HeForshe.’ We need the support in all ramifications. However, I encourage women entrepreneurs in different sectors to pick insurance cover to mitigate the impact of risks and hazards they face in the businesses.
“We’re not happy when other countries come here and take our raw materials, process them there and ship the finished products back to us at exorbitant prices. We have every capacity to produce/ make what we need to consume. We are multipliers by nature. Let everyone especially the government show tangible support through sound policies and programs targeted at women,” she charged.
Similarly, the National President of NACCIMA, Ide John Udeagbala, represented by Mr. kola Akosile, bemoaned the level of poverty in the country saying that Nigeria begun to retrogress the moment it looked away from agriculture.
“We must patronise our own and promote export of locally made products. We need to restore the glory of agriculture in this country if we must make any headway,” he maintained.
Speaking, the Lagos state commissioner of Commerce, industry and Cooperative, Lola Akonde, represented by the permanent secretary of the Ministry, Adetutu, Oluremi Osisayan, reiterated government’s commitment to support women in every front.
“We have empowered over thirty -one thousand persons in different sectors like Agriculture, industry and we shall do everything morally and legally acceptable to grow every sector so we would not be dependent other states for supply of food and other necessities,” she affirmed.
In a goodwill messages, the Director General of NACCIMA, Mr. Sola Obadimu, felicitates with women in Agricultural subsector, assured them that NACCIMA would never lag behind but would support women not only agricultural value chain but other women in different sectors.
“Our support goes beyond moral support, we shall back them up in all ramifications, because women in business are contributing immensely in GDP, employment and food supply,” he assured.
In the same vein, the president of Lagos State Chambers of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) Mr. Michael Olawale Cole, represented by Mr. Ladi Smith, asseverated that LCCI, would equally throw its weight behind NAWORG.
“We’re happy to see NAWORG soaring. We shall support them to do more,” he asserted.