In Cross River, FG domesticates women empowerment initiatives

The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, has initiated the localization of women’s economic empowerment programs in Cross River State.

Hon. Gift Johnbull, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement for the South-South region, expressed her gratitude to president Bola Tinubu for endorsing the Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy, in her address on Wednesday in Calabar.

She highlighted that the policy is a key stimulant for Nigeria’s overall progress and economic prosperity, aiming to empower and unleash the full capabilities of approximately 50% of the nation’s women, who are vital contributors as mothers, sisters, and daughters.

Johnbull noted that the project is not just about farming, but about creating a comprehensive ecosystem for women’s economic participation in climate-smart agriculture.

She said, “Our goal is clear to produce enough, not just to feed ourselves, but to nourish our nation and the whole of West Africa while empowering our women to be at the forefront of this transformation which are part of the elements of the WEE National Policy.

“Today, we will support the establishment of 25 new cooperatives and strengthen over 50 existing ones with an investment of N5 million.

“This initiative will enable us to use these cooperatives as channels to provide inputs, fertilizers, and machinery, thereby enhancing the production of six locally grown food commodities across various local councils in Cross River State.

“Our approach emphasizes Climate Smart Agriculture techniques to ensure sustainable and resilient agricultural practices. By doing so, we aim to boost local food production, improve farmers’ livelihoods, and contribute to environmental sustainability.

In her keynote remarks, the wife of the governor of Cross River state, Rev. Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, represented by Dr Mrs Comfort Oko, emphasized the need to go back to the soil to eliminate the biting hunger.

She stated that Cross River is more ready than any other state for this project.

She enthused, “We have about 863 clusters in six commodities. In cocoa, cassava, rice, oil palm, maize and aquaculture. More will come out from here. That oil palm glory that Malaysia and Indonesia took from us is going to return soon.”

She urged beneficiaries to make use of this empowerment for what it is meant for.

Introducing the WEE Policy and Project Earn from the Soil, Dolapo Alayaki, who is a consultant with Albright Stonebridge Group, mentioned that the national WEE policy seeks to provide a structured, multi-sectoral approach to empower women economically and socially, ensuring that they have the necessary tools, opportunities, and environments to thrive.

Cross River State’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Johnson Ebokpo, reaffirmed the government’s dedication to making agriculture its top priority. Despite the state’s challenging terrain, he noted that innovative irrigation projects have been implemented to overcome water supply hurdles and guarantee adequate hydration for all agricultural areas.

Cross River State has been selected as one of six states to benefit from a five-year initiative, jointly executed with the World Bank, focused on enhancing the livelihoods of women in designated communities.