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Reports from Rivers state:Gov
Amaechi reiterates commitment to fast
track development
Full text of Mrs Amaechi's Speech:
PROTOCOL,
I am
indeed honoured this day to have the
privilege of receiving and hosting the
First Lady, Federal Republic of Nigeria
and wife of the President and
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,
Her Excellency, Dame Patience Jonathan,
our worthy daughter to our dear state to
inaugurate the women for change
initiative, Rivers State Chapter and to
flag off the rally in support of the 35
per cent affirmative action as enshrined
in the Women Convention in Beijing,
China and the National Gender Policy.
Today is
very remarkable because our daughter who
has brought honour to us is making a
heroic visit to her home state since her
elevation as the First Lady, Federal
Republic of Nigeria.
May I
also welcome the wife of the Vice
President, Her Excellency, Hajia Amina
Sambo, my dear friend and former
colleague, not forgetting my dear
sister, Her Excellency, Mrs Helen Mark,
wife of the Senate President of the
Federal Republic Nigeria, my colleagues,
wives of other State Governors, and
other top government functionaries.
Your
Excellency, permit me to appreciate
members of the National Assembly,
especially those from Rivers State who
have honoured us with their presence. I
also want to welcome my darling husband,
the Executive Governor whose
administration has entrusted enormous
responsibilities on the female members
of his cabinet.
Women
are at the helm of affairs in the
Ministries of Education, Information and
Communications, Water Resources, and
Women Affairs. The Head of Service is a
woman; women also serve as heads of
Institutions, and government agencies
including the Greater Port Harcourt City
Authority, Vice Chancellor of the
State-owned University of Education,
while seven women are serving as
Permanent Secretaries in the State Civil
Service among other government agencies.
I must
not fail to acknowledge the unflinching
support of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tonye
Harry and members of the State house of
Assembly towards women economic and
political empowerment. This demonstrates
that the four women currently in the
State House of Assembly and one at the
House of Representatives have
distinguished themselves.
While I
commend the governor and the government
for the recognition on women so far, I
want to assure you all that women can do
more if supported and given more
elective and appointive positions.
The
great women of Rivers State are very
happy to receive you, especially as you
have brought good news and begun a
process geared towards giving the women
a pride of place in the national polity.
Your
Excellency, I am very certain that when
you envisioned this idea, you never
envisaged the level of political
awareness, desired commitment and
willingness of the women to participate
actively in politics that you will
ignite in the Nigerian woman. Whenever I
am privileged to appraise the activity
of the women for change initiative, I am
so encouraged and optimistic that there
is hope for the Nigerian women. This
effort has brought unity among women
regardless of ethnic or religious
inclination.
The
women for change initiative has not only
become a rallying point for female
politicians to seek equity and justice
in our political lives, but has provided
a platform for tackling challenges
against women political empowerment.
Thus, history will always remember you
for your social responsibility efforts
towards actualizing the women’s quest
for fair representation.
Your
Excellency, the success of your
programme begins from home, like the
saying goes “charity begins at homes”.
In
complementing your effort and in
fulfillment of your aspiration, the
Ministry of Women Affairs in
collaboration with the office of the
wife of the Governor, organized a Summit
on Women in Politics to devise
strategies towards actualizing our
common goals.
We also
identified and explored various means of
economic empowerment for our women,
realizing the impact of economic
empowerment on political emancipation of
women; we have also adopted the
Commercial Transportation as an economic
interventionist strategy. These are
changes we are initiating to provide
women in Rivers State with sustainable
economic and political empowerment.
About
113 women are at present gainfully
employed by this effort and providing
sustainable livelihood for their
families. This is a demonstration of
practical approach to tackling poverty
originated by the Empowerment Support
Initiative (ESI).
The
widows are also not left out. Despite
the enormous responsibility entrusted on
them occasioned by the demise of their
breadwinners and husbands, they have
also benefitted from the N600 million
Micro Credit Widow’s scheme graciously
approved by the Governor Amaechi
administration, while free education of
their children at the nursery level is
through the Empowerment Support
Initiative (ESI) Nursery School.
The ESI
has also commenced a mass literacy
programme “The Adopt a Child Initiative”
to persuade rich and influential
Nigerians to adopt the sponsorship of
the less privileged children’s
education.
This
will go a long way in reducing the
growing population of illiterate
children and place them at the same
advantage with children from more
privileged homes. It will also prepare
them for primary education in the modern
primary schools built by the state
government and enable us to instill good
morals in these children. ESI took this
decision because mothers bear the direct
burden of any unfortunate occurrence in
the families.
This is
why your programme is not just
commendable but is quite timely as the
preparation for 2011 election gears up.
More opportunities for the women in the
future election will guarantee rapid
development of our families.
Nigerian
women especially great women of Rivers
State are good wives and home builders
to our husbands, helping them to develop
and attain their full potentials at
every opportunity. We assure our men
that we can do better and help them
actualize their dreams, if more
responsibilities are given to the women
through the ballot box or appointive
capacity.
Nigerian
women especially in Rivers State are
resolved more than ever before to move
this nation forward. I believe we can
and the time is now. Your Excellency,
welcome home and may God grant you good
health as you make the Nigerian woman
occupy a fair and enviable position like
her contemporaries in other countries.
Once
again, my husband and I and the great
women and people of Rivers State welcome
you all to your state and wish you a
happy stay.
BEING
AN ADDRESS DELIVERED BY
THE WIFE OF THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR AND
PATRON, WOMEN FOR CHANGE INITIATIVE,
RIVERS STATE, HER EXCELLENCY, DAME
JUDITH AMAECHI, DURING THE LAUNCH AND
INAUGURATION OF THE WOMEN FOR CHANGE
INITIATIVE, RIVERS STATE CHAPTER AND THE
GRAND RALLY IN SUPPORT OF 35 PER CENT
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION THIS MONDAY, 23RD
AUGUST, 2010 AT THE SHARKS STADIUM, PORT
HARCOURT, RIVERS STATE
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