Wife of Nigerian President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu has flagged -off the 2024 Enugu state August meeting with a call on women to synergize and eliminate all forms of abuse to foster a healthy society.
Mrs Tinubu who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima, made the call on Friday at the event held at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu.
Speaking on this year’s theme, ‘eliminating abuse to foster a healthy society’ , Mrs Tinubu said the theme ” is a clarion call to action.”. She described abuse as a scourge that must be eradicated, noting that every individual has the right to safety, free from physical, domestic, sexual, psychological, emotional, financial, material, discrimination among others.
Pix- Remi Tinubu’s rep, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima
“Let us also remember that abuse starts and ends with us, either as victims or as perpetrators. I, therefore, urge us all to rise to the challenge of eliminating abuse and fostering a healthy society for all of us. We must speak up and speak out against abuse.”
“As women, our contributions have shaped the course of our communities, I encourage you to continue to share your ideas, experiences and perspectives.
Pix-:Mrs Nkechinyere Mbah
She noted that August Meeting has made significant impacts in the society. “the annual tradition provides a vital platform for our mothers, daughters and sisters to gather and address pressing societal issues. Mobilizing women in community building, political participation and community development. Learn to dialogue responsibly and work together to foster a sense of empathy, compassion, thoughts and one another,” Mrs Tinubu advised .
She spoke on her pet project, the renewed hope initiative.saying, “through the renewed hope initiatives, we are working tirelessly towards a better lives for families. The scope of our programs covered education, social investment, agriculture, health and economic empowerment.
“In education, we have provided scholarships to our children and youth across the country, with some having opportunities to study abroad. In agriculture, we have supported our women farmers with fertilizers and farming implements,” she stated
“Very soon we will be starting the renewed hope women economic empowerment for 1000 petty traders in each state of the federation and the FCT, where women will be supported with ₦50,000 each to capitalize and support their businesses.
“In economic empowerment, we have provided our women with ICT training to improve digital skills. In education, we have provided scholarships to our children and youth across the country, with some having opportunities to study abroad. In agriculture, we have have supported our women farmers with fertilizers and farming implements. Under our social investment program, there is a scheme which provides for assorted food items moving from one state to another”, she said.
Earlier in her address, wife of Enugu state Governor,Mrs Nkechinyere Mbah, thanked the wife of the president for accepting to flag off the 2024 edition of August Meeting in the state, which she described as “an important and culturally symbolic month for women in Igboland.”
She added that Enugu women were “hugely inspired by the First Lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative, as it has stirred the spirit of self-reliance in women through its numerous empowerment programmes.”
She said August Meeting was underpinned by the knowledge that governments alone could not possibly provide the entire needs of communities;hence, the need to bridge the needed gap and complement governments’ efforts.
Governor Mbah’s wife added that this philosophy inspired her pet project, Custos Care Foundation, through which she is making efforts to better the lives of Enugu women.
“For instance, just a few months ago, we launched the Mama Care Initiative, which enrolled 1,701 expectant mothers into a one-year insurance scheme. This is in addition to the 100 expectant mothers, who were previously enrolled. This initiative was launched as a boost to the government’s effort to eradicate maternal and infant mortality in Enugu State.
“Our August Meeting is also replete with similar leave-no-one-behind projects. It is such projects that have made the August Meeting a formidable socio-cultural and economic creation that has endured for ages,” she said.
Presenting a talk on sanitation, Acting Managing Director of the Enugu State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, ENRUWASSA, Chika Mbah, called the women to action towards ending open defecation.
She said sanitation was key to the health of the family, explaining that the Dr. Peter Mbah Administration had already begun the distribution of grants to communities towards the provision of water to end the open defecation scourge.
Pix- NAWOJ ,Enugu
Pix- Cultural dance display
Highlights of the event were match past by various women groups, cultural dance display , conferment of awards to deserving personalities and cutting of cake.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama
