Women Affairs Secretariat: Tinubu Appoints Benjamin-Laniyi As Mandate Secretary

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of Mrs Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi as the Mandate Secretary for the newly created Women Affairs Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). Mr Anthony Ogunleye, Director of Press, Office of the Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike made the disclosure in a statement in Abuja on Monday. Ogunleye said that Benjamins-Laniyi would play a pivotal role in the FCTA’s commitment to promoting the well-being and empowerment of women and children in the Federal Capital Territory. He expressed optimism that her appointment would further strengthen the formidable administrative team led by Wike and the Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud. Ogunleye added that Benjamins-Laniyi, born in 1965 from Ogun, was appointed for her exemplary qualifications and dedication to public service. “With over 35 years of experience as a communications consultant, social entrepreneur, international mentor, and environmentalist, Mrs Benjamins-Laniyi would bring a wealth of knowledge to her new role. “She attended Queens College, Lagos, for her secondary school education and a 1989 graduate of English from the University of Ibadan. “She has made significant contributions to society as a prominent compere and renowned motivational speaker. “Her passion for social issues, particularly those affecting women and children, is evident in her remarkable work. “She has also showcased her commitment to women’s political participation by aspiring for a senatorial position in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022,” he said. Ogunleye added that as the Grand Matron of “Hope Again for FCT Women in Politics”, Benjamins-Laniyi had played a vital role in encouraging and mentoring women in the political arena. According to him, her deep understanding of the political landscape and her ability to navigate complex policy challenges will undoubtedly contribute to the advancement of women’s rights and well-being in the FCT. 

World Bank Support Girls’ Learning, Empowerment In Nigeria With $700m

The World Bank has approved a fresh $700 million loan for Nigeria to boost adolescent girls’ learning and empowerment. According to a statement published on its website, the lender said the new loan will serve as additional funds for an ongoing project known as the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment. The Bank noted that apart from the girls that would benefit from the financing, others included over 15 million students and beneficiaries, such as teachers, administrators, families, communities, and staff in existing and newly constructed schools. “The World Bank approved additional financing of $700m for Nigeria to scale up the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment programme whose goal is to improve secondary education opportunities among girls in targeted states. “The additional financing will scale up project activities from the current seven states to eleven additional states and increase the targeted beneficiaries to include out-of-school girls, those who are married, and those who have disabilities,” the statement read. The World Bank put Nigeria’s out of school children at over 12 million, with many of them in Northern Nigeria. It was also noted that an estimated one million children were affected by increased insecurity around schools in 2020-2021. The statement added, “In the seven AGILE programme implementing states – Borno, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, and Plateau – the number of girls in secondary schools has increased from about 900,000 to over 1.6 million. “Under the programme, over 5,000 classrooms have been renovated and over 250,000 eligible girls have received scholarships. “The AGILE programme has supported construction and rehabilitation of WASH facilities in secondary schools and the installation of computers and solar panels which make attending school more convenient and conducive for both girls and boys. Life skills, systems strengthening, and advocacy are other key aspects of the program which address social norms impeding girls’ education.” The World Bank Nigeria Country Director, Shubham Chaudhuri, stated that, “Closing the gender gaps in economic empowerment by ensuring girls have access to education and skills is key for Nigeria’s development and economic prosperity. “Nigeria’s working population will soon be one of the youngest and largest around the world, which means that investing in adolescent girls is imperative when addressing overall economic prospects and growth.”

She Forum Africa announces regional chairs for newly instituted hubs

As part of ongoing internal re-organization efforts, She Forum Africa, a pan-Africa Women Development, Intergenerational Mentorship, Leadership & Lifestyle Community has instituted regional Hubs to deepen advocacy initiatives and strengthen women’s share of voice in local African communities. In a statement by Founder and Chairperson of the Forum, Ms. Inimfon Etuk, “the recent composition of Regional Hubs for East, West & South Africa and a Diaspora Hub are part of internal re-organization efforts to strengthen the bargaining power of women and create a much-needed avenue for African women in local communities to own the process of transformation towards Africa we want and deserve. The Hubs are Chaired by women leaders who have distinguished themselves as formidable agents of true development in their respective rights.” According to Etuk, Hon. Nadia Ahmed Abdalla, former Deputy Minister, Ministry of ICT, Innovation & Youth Affairs, Republic of Kenya who takes up the role as Regional Chair, East Africa Hub; Dr. Sindy Zemura-Bernard, Founder/CEO of the Southern Africa Embrace Foundation, Canada, who takes up the role as Regional Chair, South Africa Hub; and Mrs. Renee Q. Boateng, Founder, Butterflies and Pearls, Ghana, who will serve as Regional Chair, West Africa Hub. Also named is Dr. Mercy O. Umeri, Assistant Teaching Professor/MiniMPA Coordinator, Hugo Wall School, Wichita State University, Kansas, USA appointed as Chair, Diaspora Hub while Asiya Sani Suleiman, a Communications professional and “Garkuwan Mata” of Abaji has been unveiled as the Organization’s Director, Partnerships & Corporate Engagement.  She Forum Africa has as its core mission, to amplify personal development opportunities for African women through strategic mentoring and life-long learning within a home-grown, African-led initiative. In addition to advocacy on issues affecting women’s health, wellbeing and rights, her programmes are designed to assist young females, entrepreneurs and female professionals advance their careers and life goals in a traditionally male environment by providing insight into relevant skills for personal growth. “We are constantly updating our skills through various initiatives and capacity building experiences to ensure we remain a credible, tested and preferred Partner for Organizations desirous of heightened impact in their respective spheres,” Etuk added.