The Kogi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development with support from Community Initiative To Promote Peace (CIPP), has inaugurated Women Peace Building Council in additional seventeen local government areas (LGAs) of the state.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Kabba on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajia Fatima Buba, noted that the Mercy Corps-CIPP intervention was meant at promoting peace in the state.

She noted that the Mercy Corps-CIPP had earlier inaugurated the peace building committees in four local government areas of Lokoja, Dekina, Igalamela and Yagba west.

She added that the ministry was collaborating with Mercy Corps-CIPP to extend the peace building committees to cover the remaining 17 local government areas of the state.

Represented by Mr Teddy Adegbola, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, the Commissioner stressed that the committees would strengthen mechanism for crisis engagement, resilience and early recovery from crisis at the grassroots.

She urged the committees to engage the youths and women in various communities to discourage violence and embrace peace towards the 2023 general elections.

”You are now indirectly the eyes of the ministry in your communities. You are therefore, expected to report issues of conflict ad violence to the ministry especially when it affects women and children,” Buba said.

She noted that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs had established a situation room for data collation on Gender Based Violence in the state ministry where reports were collated for possible intervention

She commended Governor Yahaya Bello for putting every machinery in place to forestall peace and security in the state.

Also speaking, Mrs Josephine Babatunde, Director Women Affairs in the Ministry, said committee members were carefully selected considering religious, ethnic, political affiliations as well as persons living with disabilities to ensure equity and fairness.

According to her, the major objective of the initiative is to prevent violence and promote peaceful coexistence among the people in the society.

She added that it would also address the root causes of conflicts and seek to find a lasting solution to them, and increase women active participation in conflict resolution and peace building.

She noted that the terms of reference for the committees include, raising awareness on ways to prevent and address issues of conflict.

”You will also engage fellow women, youths and children who are perpetrators of violence especially in the coming 2023 general elections.

”You will develop peace building initiative, local action plan on peace, security, and report violence against women and children to the Ministry,” Babatunde said.

In her remarks, Mrs Nafisat Abdulmalik, the Policy and Advocacy Coordinator, said the organisation was collaborating with others to implementing the CIPP project in Nigeria funded by USAID.

According to her, the project is being executed in four communities in four local government areas of each of the six States of Kano, Kastina, Kogi, Kaduna, Benue and Plateau States,

In her goidwil message, the state’s Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Mrs Anne Olurinde, commended the Ministry and Mercy Corps-CIPP for the collaboration for all important initiative in ensuring peace in the society.

According to her, peace is sacrosanct to the development of any nation, and it is therefore, important as women being home makers to build peace from home.

Olurinde appreciated the Governor for recognising women and given them notable positions thereby building confidence in them, saying the inauguration of the peace building committees would mark a new beginning of peace in the areas.

The Vice Chairman, Kabba-Bunu LGA, Mrs Bimpe Alfred, urged the women to take advantage of the programme which would ensure peace in the society.

Alfred stressed the need for women to train their children in the ways of the Lord so that they could make them proud in the future while ensuring a peaceful society.

Members of the committees; Hajia Aishat Isa and Florence Allah, described the initiative as a good one, saying it would go a long way to strengthening peace in the society.

Isa, who is the President of Okun Market Women, assured that the committees would put in their best to ensure that the programme achieved the desired results.

Allah, who is the Vice Chairman, Ijumu LGA, said they believed that the project would empower women on how to initiate and maintain peace in the society.

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The Kogi State Commissioner for Women Affair and Social Development, Hon Hajiya ( Mrs) Fatima Kabir Buba has appreciated Governor Yahaya Bello for giving her the opportunity to serve in his progressive government

Briefing journalist on Friday, while marking her one year in office, Hajiya Buba who was highly elated said her last 365 days days in office has been fruitful and eventful.

She maintained that her ministry has been able to impact meaningful to the society by providing an enabling environment were woman and the girl child are adequately represented in the State.

The Women commissioner in the state averred further that through the effort of Governor Bello and and his wife her excellency Hajia Rashidat Bello, the state government has embark on aggressive empowerment program for women in the state as they now have sense of belonging in government compared to what was obtainable in the past.

Highlighting her achievement in the last one year in office, Hajia Buba noted that her office succeeded in the repatriation of 78 destitute to five northern states in the country.

In addition, the commissioner mentioned that the ministry under the year in review succeeded in repatriating 427 bandits wives and children during the operation nut cracker back to Kaduna, Niger, Oyo, Kwara, Kebbi and Osun respectfully.

The ministry under the honorable commissioner also protested against rape and other sexual assault on women perpetuated by some disgruntled elements in the state.

” We Donated palliatives to 25 orphanages cutting across the local government in Kogi and also donated to NGOs and other women groups.

” We visited an orphan in Abuja under His Excellency’s directives. The ministry donated food items such as rice, Pampers, noodles beverages to mention but a few. A particular abandoned baby called Alice was given these items to celebrate her birthday.

“We also visited many orphanages in Kogi State including( mom’s s orphanage, Ojogbane, Ajaokuta, stagi Orphanage, God’s will Orphanage) as we donated many foodstuffs for the orphanages.

” A case of child abuse where a sister poured hot water on her sister and was charged to court through the ministry of women affairs. This lady was punished severely” She stated.

Hajia Buba added that the ministry is currently investigating an alleged use of teenage girls for prostitution and sex slavery as widely reported by Wadata media and Advocacy Abuja, assuring that those behind the criminal act will be brought to book.

She however assured that Women in Kogi State will not relent towards realising the campaign promises of Governor Bello adding that his presidential ambition was for the interest of Nigeria in general.

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The Kogi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Mrs Hajia Fatima Kabir Buba, has described Governor Yahaya Bello as a leader who many Nigerians are yearning for to lead them to the promise land in 2023.

Hajia Buba, while congratulating Gov. Bello as he marks is fifth years in office today, 27th January, 2021, said his achievement in Kogi State in term of infrastructural and human development is second to none.

While describing the Governor as a man for all season who has shown an exemplary leadership for zero tolerance to corruption, the women affair commissioner said Gov. Bello since he assumed office has unite Kogi State despite the citizens differences in cultural, religion and political affiliation.

She also lauded Governor Bello for improving the security network in the State adding, that, under his leadership, commuters, including traders can move freely in Kogi State without the fear of the unknown compared to what was applicable in the previous administration.

Hajia Buba however thanked Governor Bello for giving priority to the affairs of women in the state assuring her unflinching support towards realizing the dream and campaign promises of the APC led government.

According to her, a man who has achieved this unprecedented fit within five years deserves accolades, adding that the Governor has charisma and what its takes to pilot the affairs a great nation such as Nigeria.

She maintained that, the APC led government in Kogi State under Gov. Bello, has brought governance down to the grassroots, as women now have sense of belonging in government for the first time since the creation of the State in 1991.

” Governor Bello’s achievement in Kogi State will forever be in the mind of all Kogites. This is a man who brought sanity to the Local Government system, improved our security, ensure that workers get their wages as at when due and has embarked on massive projects across the nooks and crannies of the State that would better the lives of every individuals.

” Despite the limited resources coming into Kogi State, this man has continued to do more for the people of Kogi. Am not surprise why many Nigerians are beating the drum for him to contest for presidency come 2023.

” We need a man like him now to safe Nigeria from collapse. He is a detribalize leader who carries everybody along in his government. Kogi State under Alhaji Yahaya Adoza Bello made history in Nigeria by becoming the first State to have all vice chairmen in the Local Government as women.

“If given the opportunities to lead this country Nigeria, I am optimistic that more than 40 percents of his government will be women because he is a gender friendly leader with dynamic style of leadership” she added.

She how promised to mobilize women across the 36 states of the federations including the federal capital territory to see that Governor Yahaya Bello is elected as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023.

She equally used the opportunity to appreciate Governor Bello on behalf of Kogi women for his kind gesture in area of women Empowerment. “We will not relent and by His Grace we promise not to let him down” She noted.

The commissioner further used the medium to call on women in Kogi State to register with the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC), and those that have registered, they should also validate their membership in a bid to move the party forward.

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