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Youth Minister Pledges to Prioritize Staff Welfare for Greater Productivity

Published

1 year ago

February 5, 2024

Joel Ajayi

The Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio-Ibrahim has assured the management of the Ministry that staff welfare and training will be prioritised in to bring out the best in the performance of staff in order to achieve the mandate of the Ministry.

The Minister gave this assurance on Monday in Abuja during an interactive session with the management staff of the Ministry.

Dr. Bio-Ibrahim, who expressed concern over the poor level of staff welfare, said that timely payment of travel allowances and other essentials will be prioritised to ensure optimal performance of staff.

Emphasising the significance of the management meeting, the Minister said that there is a critical need for regular monthly deliberations to enhance the ministry’s productivity and strengthen teamwork among staff.

“Teamwork in the Ministry is of paramount importance, especially in implementing policies for youth development, as the Ministry plays an important role in securing and shaping the future of Nigeria. “She added.

Speaking further, the Minister announced plans to host a ministerial retreat, saying that the purpose is to cascade the insights gained from the cabinet retreat, and to sign a performance bond which aligns with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration.

She, therefore, urged all departments to provide periodic updates on their activities to ensure transparency and progress in the ministry.

Dr. Bio-Ibrahim noted that the paucity of funds in the ministry is hindering lots of activities but assured that the management is making an effort to ensure the success of the upcoming retreat and other activities of the Ministry.

The Honourable Minister of State, Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, in his remarks, expressed optimism that the outcome of the meeting will be purposeful. He pledged his support for enhanced staff welfare.

“Thank you all for having us. I believe that the outcome will be fruitful and contribute significantly to the government. We are committed to doing our best and ensuring that we do the right thing at the right time.”* he said.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Dunoma Umar Ahmed emphasised that the purpose of the meeting is to review the activities of the ministry to track up the programs, to access performances and at the end of the day to ensure that programs are undertaken in line with the agenda of the present administration.

Dr Dunoma Ahmed said, “As you all know that we have very competent and experience staff who are always available to undertake and implement policies of this administration and with the support and direction of leadership of the minister and the minister of state, I want to assure you that we will live up to expectations by achieving the mandate of the ministry”

The Permanent Secretary gave the assurance that the Ministry will implement the digitalisation of the Federal Civil Service implementation plan 2025.

“The digitalisation plan with its six (6) pillars, will come to bear to assist us in undertaking our programs by training and re-training the staff in order to enhance the value of our staff” He said.

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Menstrual Hygiene: ‘Access PADme A Girl’ Educates IDP Women, Distributes Reusable Pads, Other Items

Published

2 hours ago

April 4, 2025

The Gleamer

…Launches Pad Bank in IDP Camps

Joel Ajayi

A non-governmental organisation, Access PADme A Girl, is working tirelessly to uplift disadvantaged communities through a campaign focused on menstrual hygiene awareness and safety.

As part of this effort, the group recently distributed over 2,000 reusable menstrual pads, books, food items, and other essentials to girls and women at the Durumi IDP Camp in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Speaking at the sensitization event held on Thursday, the Convener of Access PADme A Girl Initiative, Theresa Moses, emphasized that the initiative aims not only to empower young girls but also to alleviate the financial burden associated with menstruation.

“We came here to distribute free, reusable sanitary pads to the women at Area 1 Durumi IDP Camp,” she said. “The goal is to create awareness and address the issue of period poverty.”

She further announced the launch of a pad bank at the camp, stating, “With the pad bank, women and girls will be able to access menstrual pads every month during their cycles. Many of them have been using tissue paper, dirty rags, or even leaves, which pose serious health risks. We are here to change that narrative by educating them on proper menstrual hygiene and how to use reusable sanitary pads.”

In addition to the hygiene kits, the initiative provided educational materials to young girls in the camp to encourage continued learning.
“We encourage mothers to support their daughters’ education, especially in reading and writing. We also provided them with food items, water, and snacks. This isn’t just a distribution event—we want them to feel valued and supported,” she added.

Theresa also shared plans to expand the campaign across other IDP camps nationwide. “We are taking it step by step—camp by camp. But to sustain this initiative, especially maintaining the pad bank monthly, we need support from individuals, organisations, and government bodies.”

In her own, a childhood friend of the convener and a participant at the event, Blessing Amos emphasized the importance of supporting women’s hygiene in Nigeria.

“Statistics show that around 800 million women menstruate daily worldwide, yet only about 5 million have access to sanitary pads. That leaves 795 million without proper access. When people are struggling to afford food, sanitary products become an afterthought,” she said.

“This initiative is timely. The reusable pads provided mean these women don’t have to worry every month about affording menstrual products. We also taught them how to wash and disinfect the pads for reuse.”

She commended Access Bank for supporting the project and called on other organisations and the government to contribute to such life-changing interventions.

In her remarks, Mrs. Liatu Ayuba, Women Leader of the Durumi IDP Camp, expressed gratitude for both the sanitary pads and the valuable knowledge shared.

“I’m so happy we received these donations and were educated on how to use the products properly. Over 1,000 women here benefited today. I look forward to sharing what I’ve learned with others in the camp.”

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