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Rural Women’s Day: Its time to urbanise rural communities-AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Boss

Published

5 years ago

October 15, 2019

As the world celebrates Rural Women’s Day, development stakeholders should work together and urbanise rural communities, says Princess Gloria Akobundu, National Coordinator, Chief Executive Officer, African Union Development Agency- New Partnership for Africa’s Development/ African Peer Review Mechanism ( AUDA-NEPAD/APRM),Nigeria.

This contained in statement signed by Abolade Ogundimu, media Assistant to Akobundu, made available to the media.

October 15 has been set aside by the United Nations (UN) to celebrate and call for better attention on rural women across the globe since 2008.

This edition has the theme ‘Rural Women and Girls Building Climate Resilience ‘.

According to the C.E.O, entire human world used to be in rustic state but civilisation and concentration of activities have greatly transformed many places to urban communities.

“Some areas have only got little or no development hence,they remain rural communities.

“Most of the food crops being consumed by the entire nation come from rural areas, we have more women and children living there.

“Therefore, our rural areas should be preserved with their people, not to be considered as places of despondency by their inhabitants and urban dwellers alike,” she said.

Akobundu noted that global statistics showed that one out of every three women in global workforce engages in agriculture, saying advocacy for better living and farming in the rural areas needed to be improved.

“The menial ways of farming and crop processing in many rural areas prevent most women and girls that take part in them from having huge turnover but with greenhouse farming and technology, they will be able to record better harvest.

“It is high time we urbanised our rural communities, focusing on women and other vulnerable groups to meet Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2030) and AU Agenda 2063.

“Governments cannot do it alone, there are investment opportunities in provision of basic infrastructures to teeming rural populace in Nigeria and beyond. Our rural areas host most of the nation’s mineral resources but lack or difficulties in getting certain infrastructures contribute gravely to high population density in the cities and urban centres,” she noted.

The National Coordinator urged all stakeholders in the chain of human community development including, technology innovators within and outside Nigeria to do more in enhancing better living for rural women and entire rural dwellers.

“Stakeholders should start coming up with solutions to daily arduous tasks of rural dwellers especially, women.

“Their inventions should focus more on how to further simplify processes like: sweeping, fetching water, cooking, accessing internet for easy learning and many more.

“Such solutions will not only help women and girls in rural communities but the nation by harnessing our landmass for greater development and reverse overpopulation in the city centres,” she said.

Akobundu reiterated the need for domestic and foreign investors to complement governments efforts in providing potable water, electricity, security roads and education to rural dwellers for the world to be a better place to live in.

“In the global context, serenity and human density indicates if an area or community is rural or urban but level of infrastructural development determines that in Africa and Asia.

“Rural community exists in every nation but availability of certain indices of development makes the difference.

“In some parts of Nigeria and other African nations, lack of basic needs like electricity, pipe borne water, motorable roads, health and educational facilities among others, prevent many populated areas from being called cities.

“In line with the mandates of AUDA-NEPAD/APRM,Nigeria, we will continue to support and accelerate empowerment of women and youths in the rural and urban parts of the country,” she concluded.

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FG to Harness the Digital Economy to Empower Youth

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Honourable Minister of State for Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande has disclosed that the Federal Government is making efforts to harness the potentials of the digital economy in empowering the youth and creating sustainable jobs.

He made this disclosure in Abuja when he received the participants of the Senior Executive Course 46, 2024 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau State who were on study tour to the Ministry.

Mr Olawande said over 50% of the population below the age of 30 have a significant demographic advantage in the digital age.

“Our youths are tech-savvy, innovative and eager to contribute to the country’s economic growth. However, they face numerous challenges including limited access to quality education, skills training and job opportunities.

The digital economy offers a unique opportunity for Nigeria to leapfrog traditional development challenges. With the rise of e-commerce, digital payments and remote work”. “Our youths can assess global markets, skills training and job opportunities like never before,” he added.

According to the Minister, challenges hindering the growth of the digital economy in Nigeria must be addressed.
He explained that to overcome the challenges, the Ministry has implemented initiatives such as digital skills training programs for youths, focusing on areas like software development, data analytics and digital marketing especially in the NYSC.

This, he disclosed is alongside partnering with Galaxy Back Bone to improve infrastructure, Internet connectivity and alternative electricity supply as well as funding opportunities such as grants, loans and venture capital for startups of small businesses with launching of the National Youth Investment Fund.

The Honourable Minister who hinted that the Ministry’ s goal is to create an ecosystem that supports entrepreneurship and employment opportunities for youth stated: ” We recognise that sustainable job creation is critical to Nigeria ‘s economic growth and stability”

”I urge you all to join us in this journey to harness the potential of the digital economy for youth empowerment and sustainable job creation in Nigeria.”, he added.

Mr Olawande further said that the opportunities and challenges underscore the need for a collaborative effort from all stakeholders to harness the potential of the digital economy for sustainable development.

The Minister who observed that there is a gap between the Government and the young people expressed his heartfelt desire for the Youths of the nation to feel the Government. He opined that the country has the most intelligent youths in the world.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation from NIPSS, Barrister Nima Salman Mann, mni said they are in the Ministry to research, proffer solutions, recommendations and strategies to help Government chart its course for the the year, with the theme : ‘Digital Economy, Youth Empowerment and Sustainable Job Creation in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges and Opportunities’.

.She also added that Ministry of Youth Development is very germane to this year’s theme .” We are with the Ministry of Youth to listen to what you are doing to help the youth, how you are doing it, strategic plans and way forward as well as how we can use the digital economy to chart the goal for sustainable job creation,” she concluded.

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