From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Ahead of the International Women’s Day celebration, President Bola Tinubu will, on Thursday, unveiled P-Bat Cares for Nigerian Women, an initiative aimed at ensuring women are economically empowered that comprises of an e-market portal, a national women’s helpline, a Naija Save Nigeria integrity/transparency brigade, and a Nigeria Be Informed national broadcast channel.
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye made the disclosure while briefing newsmen in Abuja.
According to her, the platform would train women on various empowerment strategies to enable them to be financially independent.
She said people with disabilities would also be taken care of on the portal to ensure that their rights are adequately protected.
“The media should start pushing the slogan: Naija to save Nigeria. The unveiling of the P-Bat by Mr President has a lot of things for women like the mobile courts, empowerment, and no more advocacies, meetings, and consultancies,” she added.
The minister said President Tinubu and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have endorsed special courts to ensure cases against women, abuse of children, child Labour among others are attended to within a timeframe.
Kennedy-Ohanenye, also announced that an initiative “Integrity Brigade,” aimed at engendering transparency and accountability in the management of public funds targeted at addressing gender matters in the country will also be launch.
She stressed the need to monitor and evaluate donations and borrowed funds coming to support women to save Nigeria through proper management, noting that a situation where 90 percent of the donations from international organizations goes to advocacy and technical training will no longer be accepted.
The minister explained that Integrity Brigade is made up of journalists, religious leaders, and traditional leaders, among other volunteers, “whose aim is not only to educate the public on government policies and programmes towards addressing women’s concerns but also “to help the government address issues of transparency and accountability.”
Kennedy-Ohanenye, assured that she has the backing or President Tinubu to combat what she described as “monumental corruption in donor support for women’s empowerment.”
The minister had in October 2023, the minister asked the United Nations to publish monies collected from donors for the benefits of Nigerians in 30 days or risk a legal action by the ministry but five months after, nothing has been heard about the issue.
However, while addressing the media on Monday, she assured that she was for the UN and not against the international humanitarian body.
She said: “I call for this briefing so that you (the Media) will come to work with me as a family because Nigerians are ready to save Nigeria.
“I want the media to join the Integrity Brigade to fight off those who are embezzling funds.”
She changed the media to ensure that money meant for women is not diverted through “consultancies, meetings, and technical support.”
Kennedy-Ohanenye said: “Now that we have the support of Mr President, who has said from the onset to allow the poor to breathe. He is ready to sign for a restructured Nigeria for women so that help for women will go directly to vulnerable and rural women and children.
“He is encouraging no more advocacies, meetings, consultancies, training, and research funded by donor funds or borrowed money.
“If the media doesn’t help Mr President, they will frustrate him because most of the donations, he’s not aware of because a bunch of people are deciding for the whole of Nigeria.”
The emphasised the importance of the media in exposing corruption and bringing information and awareness to the public.
In the related development, to celebrate International Women Day with the theme: “Inspire Inclusion” the entire Management and staff of Federal Ministry of Women Affairs staged an awareness walk in Abuja as part of side events to mark this year’s celebration of international Women’s Day.
The minister said: “This day is remarkable for every woman and girl Child globally as we strive to amplify consciousness for the interest and welfare of the female gender. I want to categorically remind all Nigerian Women of their strategic position as stakeholders and key players in National Development and to remain steadfast on this common cause.
“I wish to encourage those who have been making Nigeria proud in their various endeavors to sustain the momentum. My Ministry will strongly align with this year’s theme by working towards initiatives that promote investment in women to accelerate national growth.”