By Victoria Onehi
To reduce unemployment and help more women venture into more technical fields ,the National Council of Women Development (NCWD) has trained 115 women in skills considered as preserves of men.
At the opening ceremony held ln Abuja yesterday in collaboration with the Partnership for Advancing Women in Economic Development (PAWED) anchored by the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC),the Director General of NCWD,Dr Asabe Vilita Bashir sald in the face of global changes women need to venture into various fields and be empowered.
” Tiling and Masonry,Electrical works/installation,Air conditioning and Refrigerator repairs,Generator repairs and Plumblng have long been seen as male- preserves however ,the Centre which represent a rich endowment of women for the practical manifestation for womens emancipation through education,self achievement and mobilisation noted paucity of skilled artisans in the construction industry.
” By training a new crop of female artisans,we are empowerlng women who will in turn have access to affordable and eccellent basic required skills in todays construction industry. Also this will address the basic artisanship needs in rural communities especially in areas were men are not allowed into houses” Bashir said.
She added that this Initiative is helping NCWD to achieve its goal of job creation and wealth generation as the women can start small scale businesses and be gainfully employed after the training.
The Director Communications and Partnership Development dRPC Mallam Hassan Aliyu Karofi, said the Centre is partnering with NCWD to help achieve its vision to help strengthen the Nigerian woman to be empowered through its programme Partnership for Advancing Women in Economic Development (PAWED).
” We realise that currently the Nigerian women constitute 49 percent of the nations population.They constitute 41 percent of the nations Nano,Small and Medium Enterprises but only have 5 percent access to funding while the men that constitute 59 percent control 95 percent access to funding.This is a wide gap tbat has to be closed.
” The PAWED Project is working with Pertners and Centers like NCWD to ensure that women are empowered that is why today, we are launching a Badge tagged ‘ I am a Woman,I am Empowered’.Because we believe ,there is no way 49 percent of a population will be vulnurable and yet a country will grow.So, if Nigeria want to grow, 49 percent which are women must be empowered.” Karofi said.
