By MARY ALIYU

Gov. Umaru Bago of Niger says appointing women as Vice Chairpersons in all 25 Local Government Areas of the state reflects his administration’s commitment to inclusive governance.

The governor stated this at the validation meeting for the draft framework on the domestication of Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) Policy in Minna on Friday.

Bago, represented by his Chief of Staff, Abdullahi Gbatamangi, pledged full implementation of WEE Policy in the state to give women a sense of belonging.

“The appointment of women as vice chairpersons in all the 25 local government areas reflects the administration’s commitment to inclusive governance and grassroots development,” he added.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening women’s participation in governance and economic development.

Bago said the state was not only ready to domesticate the policy but had already implemented many of its key provisions through programmes promoting women’s inclusion and empowerment.

According to him, the validation exercise will align existing state initiatives with the national WEE policy for effective implementation.

“From the inception of this administration, the leadership ensured that women are always involved.

“We are not only supporting the domestication of the policy; we are already implementing many of its provisions in Niger,” he said.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Hadiza Kuta, said women had consistently contributed to agriculture and the state’s economy.

She, however, noted that the absence of a domesticated policy had limited efforts to strengthen their economic empowerment.

Kuta explained that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) initiated the process to enable states to adapt the national policy to their peculiar needs and development priorities.

She said the vice chairpersons of the 25 LGAs were actively involved in the process because of their understanding of the needs of women at the grassroots.

The commissioner commended Gov. Bago for supporting the initiative, and also appreciated the NGF and its Consultant, Prof. Oluwafumi Banjo, for facilitating the process.

Kuta said consultations had been held with key ministries, departments and agencies including Education, Justice, Agriculture, Planning, Finance, Investment and Local Government to ensure the policy reflects the realities of women across the state.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Kuta described the validation meeting as a crucial stage before the preparation of the final policy document.

“The grassroots are key to the success of this policy.

“After today’s validation, the consultant will prepare the document and return in about two months for formal domestication before implementation begins.

“The policy will create greater opportunities for women in governance, agriculture, technology, entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and financial inclusion,” she assured.

Also speaking, the NGF Consultant commended the Niger Government for its commitment throughout the assessment process.

He said Niger was among the 15 states that demonstrated readiness for the domestication of the WEE Policy.

Mrs Christiana Alkali, Vice Chairman of Munya LGA, said the workshop had improved participants’ understanding of the policy and its expected benefits.

She expressed optimism that implementation would improve women’s access to agricultural inputs, improved seedlings, entrepreneurship support and educational opportunities.

Similarly, Hajiya Jamila Ayuba, Vice Chairman of Borgu LGA, said participants identified key challenges and opportunities affecting women’s economic empowerment in their councils through PESTLE and SWOT analyses.

She expressed confidence that the policy would promote sustainable economic development across the state. (NAN)

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