'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER - The national chairman of All Progressives Congress, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje has charged women leaders entrusted with the distribution of the Renewed Hope Investment Program wares to be transparent and nationalistic.
Ganduje made the plea while receiving the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima and other women bigwigs during the launch of the program targeting women in fabrics business at the party's national headquarters yesterday in Abuja.
The national chairman, said: "I now advise, those who are in charge of this program, he first and second ladies have done their own. What is left is for you to be honest, transparent and nationalistic so that these wrappers will go to the target group. Secondly, these wrappers don't expect anything from there, don't expect transport fare, they are free, give them free."
Earlier, the former Kano governor makes a case for more women inclusion in politics due to their indispensable contribution to the emergence of leaders.
He acknowledged the progress by some state governors in this regard but maintained that more needs to be done especially at the local government level.
"Their is no doubt the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria coming up with this renewed hope initiative as part of Mr President's renewed hope agenda. We are not surprised seeing the second lady coming up with this very important program. The population of women in Nigeria is more than the population of men. So, you can see that when it comes to election, women are more committed despite environmental hazards, be it cold, dust weather, they will stay through. But when it comes to the sharing of the success of the election it is dominated by wahala.
"We have to change this narrative of women participation in politics. We have begun it as a party by speaking to the Chief executives at the state level to begin to include women participation at the local government levels to interested and accepted as well. So women are now councillors, chairmen. I was in Gombe few weeks ago and women are councillors, in Lagos women are local government chairmen and some are contesting too.
"This program is financial inclusiveness for women has to be encouraged because the whole problem is financial though their is element of culture and religion but with time all these will give way for full women participation.
"So, Second Lady, this is a good omen to improve the financial stand of our women. I'm happy to hear that this program is for women who are already in fabrics business and their business is down due to the present economic challenge which is all over the world. By introducing this program these are assets because they will increase their goods and when they sell them they will buy more wrappers to shore up their businesses" Ganduje said.
Launching the program on behalf of the wife of the President, Hajiya Nana praised the efforts of the president, first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu in women political and financial inclusion.
She pledged to roll out more programs that will positively impact the lives of Nigerian women.
She said: "I am here representing the wife of our president, H.E, Senator Oluremi Tinubu (CON). This is not the first time I will be coming here personally, I am feeling at home in this beautiful edifice.
"Your excellency, the mother of the nation asked me to extend her greetings to everyone of you and to offer a few words of encouragement from her. I must say that I am one of the beneficiaries of her generosity, because during the crisis of Boko Haram, H E excellency was one of the first set of senators who came to my state to condole with the people of Borno state. With the type of support we received from her, personally each time I am discussing with her and she says Hajiya you are too generous I always tell her that life is a learning process and I have learned from you. Sincerely, the little present we came with to support our APC women leaders who are into fabrics business . Probably, the quantity might not be to your expectations but I urge you to take it in good faith and to assure you that more of such programs are on the way.
"Your excellency, without flattering her excellency within the one year has crisscrossed the 36 states. She has been to the six geopolitical zones. She is someone who is eager and wants to see changes in the country. My appeal to all of us here is to be our sisters keepers. No matter what let us appreciate one another. We all know it is easy to destroy but very difficult to build. To our president, I believe he is also a gender friendly person like the first lady. He has given so many opportunities to women as ministers and head of MDAs in his government.
"I will take your message back to her excellency."
Other women in attendance are: Wife of the Senate president, Mrs Ekaette Akpabio; wife of the Speaker, Mrs Fatima Abbas; wife of the chief of staff to the president, Salamatu Gbajabiamila; APC national women leader, her deputy among others.
