Business
Food security: Stakeholders to implement gender policy on agriculture
Stakeholders in the agriculture sector have pledged commitment towards speedy implementation of National Gender Policy on Agriculture.
The stakeholders gave the assurance at National Gender Policy in Agriculture Forum on Wednesday in Abuja.
The forum was organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) in collaboration with the National Gender Steering Committee for the implementation of the policy, ActionAid Nigeria (AAN), Development Research Programme Centre (DRPC), among others.
Mr Temitope Fashedemi, Permanent Secretary, FMAFS, said the forum signalled another giant stride and commitment of the ministry in mainstreaming gender in agricultural sector for improved food security.
According to him, the policy is to promote and ensure the adoption of gender sensitive and responsive approaches towards engendering plans and programmes.
He said the programmes would be in such a way that men and women had equal access and control of productive resources.
Fashedemi said women accounted for quite a number of the farming population in Nigeria and their possibilities in agriculture were greatly hindered differently across ethnic groups.
“Women make up about 50 per cent of Nigeria’s population; it is smart economic to plan with both halves of the population, such approach benefits society as a whole.
“Agriculture is on concurrent list which calls for strong collaboration between the federal and state governments as well as ministries of agriculture for the policy implementations.
“Civil Society Organisations among others should support the FMAFS in the realisation of these lofty goals, “he said.
Mr Azubike Nwokoye, Chairman, National Gender Steering Committee for the Implementation of the Gender Policy on Agriculture, said the forum was constituted to provide the needed support and contributions.
Nwokoye, who is the Programme Manager, Food and Agriculture, AAN, said the forum was aimed at chatting a way forward in effective implementation of the policy.
He said the policy reform was aimed at eliminating gender biased discrimination and promoting equal access to resources, services, technologies, markets, opportunities, among others.
“Effective implementation of the policy can close the gap in agricultural labour, markets, generate gains in agricultural input, increase food security and foster economic growth, ” he said.
Also, Ifeoma Ayanwu, Deputy Director and Head of Gender, FMAFS, listed some objectives of the policy as mainstreaming gender in extension delivery and institutionalising gender responsive budgeting.
She said the policy was targeted at promoting the use of gender-sensitive data collection and gender statistics for evidence based planning, policy and programme.
“Other objectives included improve cultural practices that hinder women and people with special needs from access to land, finance, fertiliser and other agricultural assets through advocacy, lobbing, sensitisation among others, ” she said. (NAN)
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has announced the appointment of a new eight -man Senior Management Team.
The appointment followed the recent announcement followed the appointment of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and Board of Directors.
Disclosing this in a statement on Friday, NNPCL Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye, said the appointments all take immediate effect.
“Following the appointment of the Group Chief Executive Officer and Board of Directors, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has announced the appointment of a new 8-man Senior Management Team on Friday,” he stated.
“The team which will be headed by the GCEO, Mr Bashir Bayo Ojulari, has Rowland Ewubare as Group Chief Operating Officer; Adedapo Segun as Group Chief Financial Officer; and Olalekan Ogunleye as Executive Vice President Gas, Power & New Energy.
“Other members of the team are: Udy Ntia as Executive Vice President Upstream; Mumuni Dangazau as Executive Vice President Downstream; Sophia Mbakwe as Executive Vice President Business Services; and Adesua Dozie, as Company Secretary & Chief Legal Officer. All appointments are with immediate effect.”
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-generaI of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), says the recent tariffs announced by the United States (US) will have significant implications for global trade and economic growth prospects.
On April 2, President Donald Trump announced sweeping global tariffs on all imports into the US, imposing 14 percent on Nigeria.
In a statement on Thursday, Okonjo-Iweala said the WTO secretariat is closely monitoring and analysing the measures announced by the nation.
The WTO DG said many members have “reached out to us”, adding that the secretariat is actively engaging with them in response to their questions about the potential effect on their economies and the global trading system.
“The recent announcements will have substantial implications for global trade and economic growth prospects,” the economist said.
“While the situation is rapidly evolving, our initial estimates suggest that these measures, coupled with those introduced since the beginning of the year, could lead to an overall contraction of around 1% in global merchandise trade volumes this year, representing a downward revision of nearly four percentage points from previous projections.”
Okonjo-Iweala expressed concern over the decline and the potential for escalation into a tariff war with a cycle of retaliatory measures that could lead to further declines in trade.
“It is important to remember that, despite these new measures, the vast majority of global trade still flows under the WTO’s Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) terms,” she said.
“Our estimates now indicate that this share currently stands at 74%, down from around 80% at the beginning of the year. WTO members must stand together to safeguard these gains.”
According to the WTO DG, trade measures of this size have the potential to create significant trade diversion effects.
Therefore, she called on members to “manage the resulting pressures responsibly to prevent trade tensions from proliferating”.
“The WTO was established to serve precisely in moments like this — as a platform for dialogue, to prevent trade conflicts from escalating, and to support an open and predictable trading environment,” Okonjo-Iweala said.
She encouraged members to utilise the forum to engage constructively and seek cooperative solutions.
By Abubakar Yunusa
The Association of Labour Veteran and Trade Union Assembly has voiced its support for President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, claiming that food prices have significantly decreased across the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the union’s interim president, Comrade Isa Tijjani, acknowledged the initial economic hardship faced by Nigerians at the beginning of Tinubu’s administration but insisted that government efforts had led to tangible improvements.
“At the start of this administration, the cost of food soared, and the nation was filled with cries of hunger and complaints. People were urged to be patient as the government worked towards solutions,” Tijjani said.
“Now, the President and his aides have worked tirelessly, and prices have come down drastically. However, I have yet to hear words of appreciation for their efforts. Recognising their achievements will encourage them to do even more for the nation.”
Tijjani, a former national vice-president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, urged Nigerians to differentiate between constructive criticism and unwarranted opposition.
He emphasised that engaging with the government in a respectful and solution-oriented manner would yield better results than resorting to hostility.
“The President of this country today is Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Advising him in a humble and respectful manner will be more productive than adopting a confrontational stance. Constructive engagement achieves more than threats and name-calling,” he added.
Tijjani also condemned the recent act of violence in Edo State, describing it as a cowardly attempt to incite division and instability in Nigeria.
He welcomed the swift response of both the President and the Governor of Edo State in addressing the situation and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.
The labour leader further urged union members to participate in the upcoming General Executive Council meeting, where the union’s position on national issues will be formalised and disseminated at all levels of governance, from the state to the local and ward levels.
The Tinubu administration has faced criticism over the country’s economic challenges, including inflation and currency depreciation. However, government officials have maintained that their policies will yield long-term benefits for Nigeria’s economy.