By Merit Ibe
The Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has said that supporting women empowerment remains one of its priorities.
ACCI 2nd Deputy President, Prof. Adesoji Adesugba, who made the remark at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Women Arise Development Humanitarian Initiative (WADHI) Women Incubation Centre in partnership with the Chamber, noted that it will continue to pay serious attention to gender issues.
Adesugba, who is also the Managing Director, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), emphasized the need to support women in whatever they are doing to grow and no matter the social belief, noting that the difference is clear whenever women are in charge.
“We could see from when women took over the management of ACCI, things began to work and still working. We can also say that whatever you are seeing here today is a combination of ideas from the women we have here.”
Adesugba congratulated the management of WADHI for their initiatives in supporting the women and for raising the Centre for the women, adding that “we look forward to seeing more initiative coming out from here.”
For her part, the Director General, ACCI, Victoria Akai, said the Chamber’s partnership with WADHI is a collaboration to establish a digital incubation Centre to support capacity development of women and also to promote women financial literacy.
She said the partnership also looks at how to link women to international market especially in the context of Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), adding that before “we talk of diversifying, we have to look beyond our borders.
“The best way to expand trade is to build the capacity of women. Women understand the etiquettes of business better and that makes them the bedrock of the economy.”
According to the DG, Abuja is seen as a non-commercial city but the people that can truly make it a commercial city are women because they are the ones seen everywhere selling one thing or the other.
“The importance of women going into business is not only for economic gain but to also inculcate entrepreneurial skill into their children. One very important thing is to support our women and also help them build same into their children.”