Ministry of Women Affairs has said it was targeting 15 million metric tonnes of fish yearly from Nigerian farmers especially women who it has supported with required equipment to succeed.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy Ohanenye who stated this in Abuja also reeled out the distribution of cassava, Rice and fish pond processing machines to women in various communities across the country to support and increase food production as well as enhance export.
The Minister who stressed that she would do everything within her purview to assist and empower women said that the Benue State has started running with the empowerment.
She said though findings indicated that Nigeria requires 2 million tonnes of fish annually and her Ministry was going the extra mile not only to assist the attainment of 2 million but 15 million metric tonnes to facilitate export in order to make more money for the women folks.
For instance, she said Anambra State received 12 garri processing machines and 12 garri frying machines as well as two fish smoking machines and 15 4,000-litres fish buckets among others.
Also, Imo, Lagos, Oyo, Ebony States also got 12 garri processing machines and 12 garri frying machines while Kano State got 10 industrial sewing machines and two over lock weaving machines.
According to the Minister, Jigawa State got 15 rice milling machines, Kano 5, Kebbi 10 just as Niger and Benue States received rice milling 5 each.
“We want every community to get involved in this, . So you can imagine, it sounds impossible, but it’s doable. If anybody could have told me when I started this that it could move to this extent in a couple of months, nobody would have believed it.
“But today, we’re talking about 15 states applying. Some of them, about two, three communities are going to get something.
So how we do the supply? We first supplied to commissioners of women affairs. They will now start taking them to the communities.
Like in Kaduna state, we took it to Bichi. Because it’s Bichi community who are already very organized. So they have already organized themselves.
“We have a place where machines can be mounted. And at the same time, they have an irrigation land where they can plant rice all through the season. They’re part of the rice planting communities.
They are planting and we’re giving them high yield rice to plant on a hundred hectares. And we’re giving them irrigation machines to support them,” she explained.
To ensure safety of Nigeria women farmers, she said her Ministry was collaborating with the Nigeria Army as well as Airforce to provide protection for the women to go back to their farms.
She commended a micro-finance bank which was willing to provide 1000 POS to support her initiative on women empowerment.
Saying, “It’s the kind of thing we expect from other banks. And we know a few banks have been supporting us. But now we want sustainable support so that women can feel the impact.
“So we’re going to write to them, tell them about the machines, and ask them to either provide us with the machines or pay the companies that are making the machines to provide us with the machines.”
The Women Minister equally frowned at sharp practices militating against women and the girl child like breast ironing, saying she has instituted mobile courts to try anyone engaging in the unhealthy practice.
Already, she said her Ministry had engaged the five communities in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, known for the practice and have come to terms during a meeting she personally attended with the leadership of the communities to desist from the evil practice.
“If you have frustration, you keep it to yourself. So this is the fact. Touch my constituents. Let them cry when I hear it. You will see immediate action. I don’t care what anybody says,” she stressed.
