By Justina Auta
The National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) solicits funds to establish a multipurpose technical workshop and a vocational training block to empower more women as it marks its 30th anniversary.
The centre is a Federal Government institution conceived by Mrs Maryam Babangida, wife of former Military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.
Established in 1992, the centre is modeled after the United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW).
At the unveiling of the new logo for the centre on Saturday in Abuja, the Minister of Women Affairs,
Mrs Pauline Tallen extolled the contributions of late Maryam Babangida, former first lady for her interest in the development of rural women.
Tallen described the centre as a refuge for women to find solace and empowerment that would boost their participation in national development.
She said “the NCWD gave hope and relevance to Nigeria women. It is like a refuge camp for Nigerian women, particularly the rural women, so we cannot forget late Maryam Babangida.”
Dr Asabe Vilita-Bashir, the Director-General of NCWD, said the centre had empowered millions of women in skill acquisition and research development in its 30 years of existence.
Vilita-Bashir said the proposed multipurpose centre would expand the area of training to include emerging skills in line with global best practices for women.
She added that “the vocational training blocks, a three story building is expected to cost N2.5 billion and house 1,500 trainees with specialise workshops.”
Kashim Shettima, the Vice Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2023 election, stressed the need to respect women and strive toward promoting women development issues.
He said “the quality of every society is proportionate to the respect that society accords its women. Our women should demand what is due to them; you deserve to be given more.
“I urge you to collate into a single cause and remove differences amongst you so that together we can move the nation forward.”
Shettima, who made a donation of N30 million on behalf of the presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, also donated N10 million as an individual to support the centre.
The Chairperson, Planning Committee, Mrs Moji Makanjoula, said that the centre, since establishment 30 years ago, had undergone series of wears and tears due to operational aging and usage.
“It is therefore in this regard in addition to meeting up with the dream of the founding mothers of the centre that we called you here today to help the management to raise funds for the revitalisation, upgrading, replacements and re-modification and reconstructions of the centre.
“This is because Nigerian women are yet to be fully empowered within the framework of national and international targets of bridging the gender inequality gaps.
“There is still a huge gap in gender parity in all sectors of life in Nigeria, from the world of work, the professions, economic sectors and in leadership and politics, women are not adequately represented and are largely marginalised,” Makanjoula said.
Mariya Tambuwal, Chairperson, Governors’ Wives Forum and wife of Sokoto state governor, reiterated the forum’s commitment toward advancing the rights and empowerment of women in the country.
