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Politics

We’ve empowered 3,600 women, trained 1,031 in 3 years – Mrs Akeredolu

Empowerment
By Ojo Oluwafemi
Akure, Feb. 26, 2020 (NAN) Wife of Ondo Governor, Mrs Betty Akeredolu, on Wednesday, disclosed that over 3,600 women have been empowered through Foundation for Wives of Ondo State Officials and Female Appointees (FOWOSO)
Mrs Akeredolu, while reeling out the achievements of her office as part of activities marking Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu’s third anniversary in office, said that the foundation had also trained 1,031 girls in ICT and solar energy in the last three years.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mrs Akeredolu had, in Nov. 2017, created FOWOSO, with the sole aim of empowering women to become more influential at the grassroots levels in order to ensure that the impact of good governance in rural areas.
She said that between 2017 and 2018, a total of 1,800 women were trained in the production of household items, 255 on manufacturing of wigs, while 346 women received training in bead making.
“Another 706 women were trained in makeover, while a total of 493 women received training in shoe making across the 18 council areas, with thousands of start-up kits provided for the beneficiaries of the skill acquisition training.
“Besides, no fewer than 158 youths received brand new laptops for various purposes.
“A minimum of 3,600 women received training on breast self-examination during the FOWOSO medical intervention, while several others received free medical services,” she said.
The governor’s wife also disclosed that over 1,031 young girls were trained in ICT and Solar technology and empowered under the BEMORE Summer Boot Camp 4Girls in Naija, an initiative brought together to empower the female folk.
“From 2017 till date, 1,031 girl children from remote communities in Nigeria have been opportune to be part of an intensive annual two-week summer boot camp, where they were trained in ICT and renewable energy.
“Since 2017, the BEMORE-empowered initiative has been at the front of promoting gender inclusiveness within the ICT and renewable energy space by providing hands-on training in computer appreciation, coding, web and app designing and solar PV installation.
“The BEMORE-empowered initiative has also risen to become Nigeria’s one-stop shop for young girls willing to take up career within the ICT and renewable energy space.
“The initiative has grown and attracted the attention of notable global players, including the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) of the German International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Nigeria Alternative Energy Expo (NAE),” she noted.
The first lady stressed that the data collected showed that almost half (45 percent) of the girls who participated in the 2018 BEMORE Summer Boot camp had no access to computer.
She also said that 62.8 percent of the girls, who participated in the boot camp, had access to internet, with 91 percent of those with access using the internet, at least once a week.
Mrs Akeredolu added that the proportion of girls, who were confident of being well-knowledgeable in ICT before the summer boot camp training was 23 percent, pointing out that the figure had moved to 82 percent at the end of the camp.
“This indicates that there was a 257 percent increase in the proportion of girls who were confident that they were well-knowledgeable in ICT at the end of the summer boot camp.
According to her, the roles of women in nation building cannot be overemphasized, especially going by the contemporary definition of sustainable development.
The governor’s wife noted that most developed countries like the United States and Canada understood this and had consequently taken deliberate steps towards incorporating women for active roles in government. (NAN)
OFO/KOLE/WAS
Edited by Remi Koleoso and ‘Wale Sadeeq

08064320766

Health

UNICEF rating on Ondo, encouraging – Gov’s Wife

UNICEF rating on Ondo, encouraging – Gov’s Wife

Registration

By Ojo Oluwafemi

Akure, Feb.25, 2020 (NAN) Mrs Betty Akeredolu, the Wife of the Ondo  governor says the rating of the state high in Under-one birth registration performance in southwest through the National Population Commission(NPC) by UNICEF was encouraging.

Mrs Akeredolu said this on Tuesday while reacting to some achievements made by the office of the Wife of the Governor to mark Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu’s third year anniversary.

She said that the success recorded in the Accelerated Birth Registration Plus (ABR+) pilot project gave the state the high ranking by UNICEF.

“The investment started in 2018 with the implementation of the Accelerated Birth Registration (ABR) pilot project in Ifedore Local Government Area of the state.

“The project was then replicated in 2019 and data from UNICEF has shown that Ondo state is the state with the best under-one birth registration performance in South-West’’.

She described ABR as a resoundingly innovative and supportive initiative.

“It has given many children who ordinarily were at risk of being victims of child labour and abuse the opportunity to have access to the necessary basic amenities they need,” she said.

The governor’s wife maintained that the programme has provided the opportunity for children to have their birth registered with the NPC and claim their nationality with no stress.

She said that before now, the birth registration coverage and performance of the state was among the poorest in the south-west, for almost a decade (2011 to 2018).

“Ondo was never among the top three states with the best under-one birth registration performance in the South-West before the present administration’’.

According to her, the negative narrative started to change when Gov. Akeredolu began to invest in birth registration.

“The result from that pilot showed a 280 per cent increase in birth registration in the first month of the programme implementation and a 535 per cent rise in the second month.

“It is worthy of note that between 2018 and 2019 there was a 150 per cent increase in under-one birth registration performance in Ondo State.

“This is the highest percentage increase in the South-west and second highest in Nigeria after Bayelsa.

She added that up until 2018, the birth registration of children under the age of five in Ondo State has never been up to 100,000 in a year.

“In 2019 however, as a result of the State Government’s continuous investment in birth registration through the ABR Plus project, birth registration of under five children was recorded to be 206,973.

“This is over a 100 per cent increase compared to the 70,120, 72,854, 91,402, 72,047, and 77,198 that were achieved in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 respectively”, she said. (NAN)

OFO/EPA/SH

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Edited by Ebere Agozie/Sadiya Hamza