A non-governmental organisation, AbleGod Women Development Forum, has launched a food security and women empowerment scheme nationwide.
President of the forum, Amb (Mrs) Okedeyi Olufunmilayo Gafaru, launched the scheme yesterday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.
About 5,000 women were inaugurated to spearhead the scheme aimed at fighting hunger and food insecurity at the national, state and local government levels.
Amb Olufunmilayo said the NGO aims to contribute its quota in the nation’s quest for poverty alleviation and promote better life for women in particular and the nation in general.
She said the executive members were expected to sensitise and empower other women in agriculture, especially at the grassroots.
She noted that the scheme was also targeted at children, especially the girl-child, emphasising that when you empower a woman, you empower the nation.
She added that she developed the passion for women and children empowerment at the age of five because of the challenges she saw women go through.
Amb Olufunmilayo appreciated the first lady, Sen Oluremi Tinubu for her women empowerment initatives and the general emancipation of women.
The forum’s director of media, Mrs Jovita Wanger, lamented the general neglect of women, stressing that they are often given relevance only during elections to tap from their huge numerical strength and called on men for a change of attitude.
She revealed that about 30,000 members had been reached since the scheme commenced in May this year while about 17,000 had registered and called for the support of government, good-spirited individuals and the media to enhance women empowerment.
A keynote address was delivered on “Women Empowerment and National Building” by Prof Theophilus Oloche.
The royal father of the day was the Etsu Nupe, Dr Yahaya Abubakar.
