The Managing Director, Nigerian Export and Import Bank, Abubakar Bello, has stressed the need for gender equity and women’s empowerment to improve access to health, education, economic and political opportunities in the country.
Bello also stated the need to ensure they (women) have access to opportunities that would further harness their potential for the development of any nation as a result of the significant role they play in every facet of human development.
The MD disclosed this made at a family fun weekend, organised by Nexim Bank, to commemorate the 2023 International Women’s Day, celebration in Abuja.
The bank’s boss pointed out that it prioritises anything that concerns women, adding that women should be celebrated all the time for their immeasurable contribution to society.
He stated, “We should not just celebrate women only on women’s day or month.
“Women should be celebrated every day. This year’s theme, which talks about embracing equity, should not be celebrated only on women’s day, but all the time as we are talking about moving forward to the future.
“Every women’s day, we make promises on equal opportunities, equity, amongst others.
“I want feedback from the women from all the promises made in the past, where are we? Are you satisfied with what we have done?” he said.
The 2023 United Nations theme for International Women’s Day is “Digital Innovation and technology for gender equality.”
This aligned with the priority theme for the 67th session of the commission on the Status of Women, “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.”
The Nexim Bank boss further added that the bank prioritises the well-being and health of its workforce to ensure maximum productivity.
“We take the competence of women seriously, especially when bringing in new staff. It’s not a favour that we are doing to the women, it is a favour that we are doing to the agency.
“We are happy about the issues discussed by the speakers. One spoke about being focused, another on health and well-being.
He, therefore, stressed the need to accommodate more women so that they can give in their best in any workforce and society in general.
Also speaking the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Mrs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, called for more collaboration to address the challenges affecting women in Internally Displaced Person camps.
Sulaiman-Ibrahim also stressed the need for programmes that would bridge the gap for women to become independent and contribute to national development.
She pointed out that “Women carry a lot of burdens because they become the caregivers, heads of households and other challenges for women when displacement and emergency happen.
“Women are the most hit, they lose their privacy when such things happen and it is hard for them.
“We must work collectively to address these challenges facing women,” she said.
