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Women’s Day: Let’s Celebrate, Change Makers, Peace Builders-AUDA-NEPAD

Published

6 years ago

March 7, 2021

Joel Ajayi

Admiration, respect and gratitude to Nigerian Women, their African and global counterparts for the great efforts exhumed beyond their limitations in establishing a more equal future, says Princess Gloria Akobundu, National-coordinator/ Chief Executive officer, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria.

Akobundu showed the appreciation while reflecting on International Women’s Day , which comes up every 8th day of March and the 2021 edition which has the theme: Choose to Challenge.

In a statement issued by the Media Assistant to NC/CEO, AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria Abolade Ogundimu, on Sunday in Abuja expressed that women have always been part of successes achieved by humanity, having given birth and nurtured both men and women, but nature and society seem to have placed some limitations on the female gender.

According to her, the belief that there is limit to how women can advance or achieve greatness in life is a wrong notion that exists only in the minds of individuals or groups that subscribe to it and not a reality.

“Interestingly, the world has witnessed more women chattering the presumed glass ceilings in different spheres of life, making changes and contributing their quota in peacebuilding to the advancement of humanity and the world.

“I join mother of the Nation, Hajia Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, as well as Dame Pauline Tallen, Minister of Women Affairs, in celebrating Nigerian women of all time on this special day.

“Women Day is a day of celebrating both living and departed women especially, those that had shown exceptional ability and capacity in attaining greater heights beyond their male counterparts.

“We celebrate Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, new Director-General, World Trade Centre (WTO) becoming the first woman and the first African to occupy the position, just as we celebrate her younger sister, Dr. Njide Okonjo-Udochi, who emerged Family Physician of the Year, in Maryland, U.S.A.

“We also celebrate Hajia Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations, and other women serving in various capacities in the country and beyond.

“They are living mentors that our upcoming youths should emulate and surpass in greatness through commitment and hard work,” she said.

The NEPAD/APRM Nigeria’s Boss remembered women victims of the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“We at AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria commiserate with women who have paid the ultimate price to COVID-19 pandemic and diseases, may God comfort their loved ones and heal the world from the virus.”

Akobundu commended Women security operatives for sacrificing their comfort for peace of the nation and urged mothers at all levels to rise in support of government and security agencies in ensuring nation’s peace during the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic.

“I urge Nigerian women to look inward in their quest for a peaceful nation by promoting moral ethics that are capable of fostering peace and security in society.

“In the same vein, Nigerian women in leadership position within and outside the country should not relent in mentoring the younger ones for positive change and `Nigeria We Want`,” she said.

Akobundu also commended President Muhammadu Buhari and other African leaders support and recognize the capability of women in attaining a leadership position.

“I commend President Muhammadu Buhari for looking beyond gender in appointing and supporting Nigerians with leadership qualities to serve within and outside the nation.

“We celebrate President’s appointment of Dr Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning; Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development; Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor, Minister of State For Environment and other women Cabinet members and heads of parastatals.

“I also commend African leaders for displaying a similar attitude by supporting African women with special capabilities for continental and global positions.

“I salute leaders of women-oriented Civil Society Organisations(CSOs) that have been working with us like Bar Ebere Ifendu, President women in politics foundation, among others” she said.

Akobundu was optimistic that current statistics of two Women Heads of State or in the world would soon be reversed, urging Women Groups and Activists to sustain their campaigns on women development.

The Agency Boss currently serves as Member, AU (African Union)-APRM Taskforce Committee on Governance Response to COVID-19 and other pandemics.

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Alake Inaugurates Nigeria-US Solid Minerals Committee, Dismisses $700bn Claim, Says No Assets Sold

Published

4 days ago

October 28, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Tuesday inaugurated the Nigeria-United States Committee on Strategic Cooperation in the Solid Minerals Sector in Abuja, dismissing reports that Nigeria sold $700 billion worth of solid minerals to the US.

The inauguration followed the strategic cooperation framework established between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Head PRESS and Public Relations Department Mrs. Kania Maliki Andeyaba stated that, Alake in the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed with the US is a government-to-government platform to facilitate business-to-business engagements between American investors and Nigerian local operators, not a sale of assets.

Harping on the importance of the solid minerals sector to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, he noted that the administration was committed to reducing dependence on a mono-product economy through the sustainable development of Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.

According to him, the Nigeria–US partnership as a strategic initiative to attract investment, promote technology transfer, strengthen local mineral processing and create employment opportunities.

“There is no sale of any Nigerian asset. There’s nothing exchanging hands,” Alake declared.

“We created a platform to facilitate mingling of US investment ventures with Nigeria’s local operators. It is in the public domain. We signed it in public and published it in four or five national newspapers.”

The Minister said reports claiming the US was coming to take over Nigeria’s minerals and security architecture were untrue at best and products of riotous imagination at worst.

Explaining the policy thrust, Alake said Africa has historically held the short end of the stick in global economic transactions, and Nigeria is determined to change that model.

“We have the resources, the critical elements the world needs to transit to clean energy. So we are creating a new paradigm — you bring your capital, expertise and technology, to match with our natural resources and create a win-win situation . The investor gains, Nigeria gains.’’he said.

Nigeria, he stressed, had operated a mono-cultural economy dependent on oil, while solid minerals were exploited informally — with ores taken “from pit to port” without value addition.

Alake said government has now made local processing mandatory, refusing to grant mineral titles to investors without a clear pathway to processing in Nigeria.

He said the policy led to the springing up of processing factories, including the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa commissioned recently in Nasarawa by the Vice President, and informed the formation of the African Minerals Strategy Group.

Alake noted that investor confidence has returned due to macro-economic reforms by President Bola Tinubu that guarantee security of tenure and repatriation of profits.

He charged the committee to discharge its assignment responsibly, saying its work is strategic to achieving the President’s $1 trillion economy target.

To this end, he told the Committee to ensure effective coordination, identify investment opportunities and translate the framework into measurable outcomes capable of positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global solid minerals industry.

In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the inauguration translates growing bilateral engagements into a structured framework for practical cooperation and investment mobilization

Economic Officer at the US Embassy, Jonathan Baas, said President Donald Trump has prioritized three areas for US embassies — energy, artificial intelligence/super intelligence, and critical minerals.

Baas said Washington’s direction is to work with partners to secure critical supply chains while ensuring partners capture value.

“We just signed a contract today on looking into building AI data centres in Nigeria at the Nigerian Economic Summit. That’s the direction Washington wants us to go,” he said.

In his vote of thanks, CEO/Managing Director of Nigeria Solid Minerals Company, NSMC said that the committee

is expected to coordinate implementation, facilitate investment and monitor progress towards achieving the objectives of the Nigeria–US cooperation framework.

The inauguration reinforces the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the solid minerals sector as a key driver of economic diversification, industrial development and national prosperity under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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