Nigeria Ranks 123 On Gender Inequality, Globally.... Says Barr Ohanenye

Barr Uju Kennedy Ohanenye
Honourable Minister
Ministry of Women Affairs

"We cannot be doing things the old ways and expect better outcomes, our women deserve to use modern equipments in farming if their impact must be felt in growing the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.” Barr Uju Kennedy Ohanenye.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Barr Uju Kennedy Ohanenye has called for an urgent revisit for gender inequality as it relates to the low economic status of Nigerian Women in comparison to their male counterparts.

Barr. Uju Ohanenye

Barr Uju Ohanenye in a statement in Abuja and a copy released to  naijnewsalert.com.ng , reiterated the urgent need for appropriate measures and policies to be put in place to address this in-balance.

In the statement which was signed by her Special Assistant on Media, Ohaeri Osondu Joseph, the Minister expressed worries owing to the fact that Nigeria is ranked 123rd globally based on the 2022 World Gender Gap report.

Identifying some of the issues, she said; “Part of the issues that contribute to this Gender Inequality on economic status of Nigerian Women is the present trend where some of the funds from Development Partners such as World Bank and UNICEF are not properly channeled to change the status of vulnerable women and children.”

Speaking on wide range of issues bordering on empowerment of Nigerian Women and the Girl Child, the Honourable Minister recalled that “some nigerian women at the rural levels for whom these funds are meant for, still suffer deprivation and those who are into farming are subjected to still use their bare hands when they can be introduced to modernized equipment which will not only enhance their productive capacity but will also enhance their socio-economic wellbeing. 

"We cannot be doing things the old ways and expect better outcomes, our women deserve to use modern equipments in farming if their impact must be felt in growing the nation’s Gross Domestic Product” She stated.

The Honourable Minister also revealed plans by the Ministry to acquire modernized Rice milling machine that will de-stone, de-chaff,  parboil to ensure increased Rice Production which will ensure food sufficiency in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy on Renewed Hope Agenda on food security.

Speaking further on the need to justify release of Funds from Foreign Donors, the Women Affairs Minister advocated for proper accountability, transparency and the need for the funds to be accessed by the actual end users at the Rural Communities as this measure will reduce insecurity, poverty, inflation and other social vices.

On the rate of out-of-school children in Nigeria, Barr Ohanenye compared 2018 report of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)  of 10.5 million and the 2022 figure of 20 million and urged for urgent government action to reverse this trend through empowerment of women with skill acquisition and vocational trainings.

"This," she said, "will enhance their productive capacity, make them self-reliant and support their husbands to put their children through schools and thus reduce the number of children who are out of school in Nigeria.