- By Femi Alabi
The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has congratulated women on the occasion of the 2024 International Day of Women, saying they deserve all the respect.
Akpabio, in a statement to celebrate the women signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh singled out Nigerian women for praise saying they are a full package and a special breed.
Eulogising the resilient spirit of the Nigerian woman, Akpabio appreciated their daily struggles describing them as resilient, industrious, and unwavering.
He said the theme of this year’s celebration “Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress” was apt because no nation succeeds without investing in women as it is popularly agreed that “Train a woman and you train a nation”.
The Senate President assured that the National Assembly under his chairmanship will continue to advocate for the improved welfare of our women adding that “We are very conscious that failure to invest in women is akin to killing development and destroying a nation”
According to him, the campaign theme of the 2024 IWD celebration, “Inspire inclusion” was in tune with the thinking of the 10th Senate, which is working assiduously to enact laws that would increase girl-child enrolment in school, fight against sexual exploitation and generally give what is due to the womenfolk.
“I wish to use the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day to proudly celebrate our women- mothers and sisters. On behalf of my family, Constituents, the Senate, and the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I sincerely wish our women a peaceful and fruitful celebration.”
In the same light, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called on government and other stakeholders to institutionalize policies and programmes that will enable women and girls to fulfill their aspirations and contribute to national development.
The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Anthony Ojukwu,SAN made the call on the International Women’s Day.
The day is observed every year on March 8 and celebrated for the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity.
Ojukwu used the opportunity to call on governments to institutionalise policies and programmes that will enable women and girls to fulfill their aspirations and contribute to national development.
He noted that a male dominated world has left us with gaps in the overall development index, saying that with the benefit of hindsight we can appreciate the unimaginable impacts made by women both in Nigeria and elsewhere once the opportunity comes their way.
Ojukwu stated that the theme of 2024 celebration of IWD, “Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress”, is apt as it further buttresses the fact that committing resources to train and empower women does not only equip them to support their families but it also has the potential to position them to contribute meaningfully to national and global development.
”We are witnesses to the giant strides being made by women in the few Societies where they are recognised as formidable agents of positive change,” he said.
Ojukwu therefore, call on the Federal Lawmakers to consider passing the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill, hoping that it will reduce gender-based violations and legally equip women to challenge the inequalities besetting them.
Meanwhile, Successful female business entrepreneurs, have advised Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) operators and would-be business owners to focus on meeting specific needs and self-development to create a path towards building prosperous brands in the short and long-term.
Speaking during the Women’s Day edition of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Business Series hybrid event at the bank’s Head office in Lagos on Thursday, the entrepreneurs emphasised the need for SMEs to invest in themselves and have a proper working business structure as tips that will help build and grow their businesses.
Chioma who emphasised the need for meaningful partnerships and collaborations in business said, “It is important to start by solving a problem, you have to separate your lifestyle from your business and ensure that you are intentional about what you put out there. Also, get straight to the point about what you are offering your customers, no need beating about the bush,” she stated.
Buttressing Chioma’s point, Onyeka told business owners and would-be entrepreneurs to surround themselves with the right people as these are the people that will help tend to the growth of the business.
“I always tell people, build a team that can give their best to your business. When you treat your team right, they will put their all into growing your business,” she said.
Atilola who was all about the advantage of a proper business structure to one’s business, said, “Get your structure right, you need to have a standard operating procedure that works whether you are physically present or not. Also, it is very important to separate your personal finances from your business finances, that way, your business learns to thrive on its own,” she explained.
On her part, Oshuwa spoke about education and investing in one’self, as she added that business owners need to hone their skills, and should not be afraid to ask for help when they need it. “I agree with Atilola and Onyeka about collaborations and I also subscribe to learning new things by investing in educating yourself, this will translate into better business decisions,” she said.
UBA’s Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, who commended the panellists for taking time off their busy schedules to share their knowledge, said UBA organises these business series frequently as they go a long way towards equipping customers, especially the women with the strategies to help build successful businesses.
Also, the Executive Director, Sustainable Gender Action initiative, Mufuliat Fijabi has commended the resilience of women and girls globally.
Fijabi in a press statement charged
governments to be deliberate in the approach to uplift the status of women and girls through investment of resources, facilitation of enabling legal framework and protection of the rights of all women and girls.
She acknowledged that poverty could affect all humans both male and female, poverty limits the growth of girls and impacts on lives of women especially in developing economies such as Nigeria.