. . . Charges Women To Embrace Empowerment Programmes
The Lagos State Government, on Thursday, urged women to take advantage of opportunities provided for financial independence, through various empowerment and skills acquisition programmes offered in vocational centres across the State.
The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo, SAN, gave the charge while speaking at a symposium organised by the Public Advice Centre (PAC), in commemoration of the PAC Advisory Day 2021, with the theme “Women As the Heart and Soul of the Nation”.
Onigbanjo, represented at the event by the Director, Directorate of Advisory Services, Mr. Saheed Quadri, said Lagos has created several opportunities for the female gender to excel in their trades and professions, maintaining that an empowered woman would contribute to the development of a nation.
His words: “It is essential to implore our women to take advantage of the various programmes offered by the Ministry of Agriculture, especially by those interested in farming and fishery. I encourage our womenfolk to spread the message about opportunities being provided by the Lagos State Government to give women financial independence”.
“The ultimate objective of the present administration is to offer our women opportunities to make them free from financial burden. When a woman has economic resources, she will support her husband in taking care of her children and also provide herself with basic needs. She will live in peace with her neighbours and enjoy a better quality of life,”
Maintaining that the theme of the symposium was timely as a result of several crises bedevilling the nation, the Attorney-General said that the number of complaints and requests for assistance confirm that women and children are mostly affected by the situation in the country.
In her contribution, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Mrs. Cecilia Mobolaji Dada, noted that women play critical roles in the progress of society and should, therefore, be accorded their rightful place in society.
“Women play vital roles as wives, mothers, sisters, teachers and partners in the family. Women are very crucial to the socio-economic development of every nation. It is, therefore, necessary for them to be accorded their rightful place in the scheme of things. Throughout history, the activity of women in society has ensured the stability, growth and long-term development of nations”, Mrs. Dada stated.
The Commissioner, represented by the Director, Finance and Accounts, WAPA, Mrs. Olanrewaju Lawal, called on women to utilise the skills acquisition centres across Lagos, where no fewer than 20 vocations are taught on short and long-term modules.
Earlier, in her welcome address, Ms. Khadijat Shitta-Bey, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, represented by Mrs. Kehinde Taiwo, Director of Commercial Law, said the symposium was aimed at magnifying the role and importance of women in nationhood.
Shitta-Bey restated that PAC provides free legal advice and information to members of the public, just as it educates residents on their rights and obligations under the law.
In his address at the event, the Director, Lagos State Public Advice Centre (PAC), Mr. Tunji Dawodu, said that the establishment of the agency has provided an avenue for Lagos residents to get professional advice on issues relating to contracts, marriages, relationships and harassment, among others.
While noting that the workshop was aimed at drawing the attention of women to their rights to equal opportunity like their male counterparts, Dawodu called on members of the public to always take advantage of the free services provided by professionals at the Centre.
