By Kemi Yesufu
Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen has given kudos to the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) for contributing to President Muhammadu Buhari’s push to pull one hundred million people out of poverty in ten years.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony for 106 participants of the NCWD-GIZ Residential Capacity Building Training programme for female artisans, Tallen said by scaling up the size of the project the NCWD is contributing to creating jobs for women.
The participants who were trained in Generator and AC repair, POP fixing and plumbing & tilling, according to the minister will fill the gap for skilled and professional artisans in the ever enlarging construction industry.
Tallen thanked GIZ for partnering NCWD, even as she commended the Director-General of the Centre, Mary Ekpere-Eta ESQ, for prioritising empowerment programmes for women under her tenure. The minister who had visited the graduates earlier, was represented at the certificate presentation ceremony by an Acting Director in her ministry, Mrs. Ladipo.
Earlier in her address Ekpere-Eta commended the participants for their determination and for thier for seeing to the end of the training.
“It is my pleasure to present to you the 106 women and girls that have distinguished themselves in the past forty days to acquire these skills to shape a brighter future themselves and their families. Against all odds, they have bridged the gender gap in the construction industry” she said.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs Mrs. Adejoke Orelope- Adefulire, who participated in the presentation of certificates and tools to the graduates, admonished them to also treat the customer as king.
She further advised that the graduates apply the tested principles of success businesses by keeping to time, offering standard services at competitive prices.
Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mrs. Comfort Lamptey advised that the graduates see the tools and start up capital handed them as an opportunity for progress.
The graduates made up of young and aspiring women, as well as women from different professions including a lawyer and an accountant were certified with the highly regarded Trade Test 1 and Trade Test II certificates.
Speaking on behalf of the graduates Ene Godwin, thanked the Director-General of the NCWD and other staff who ensured they successfully completed their training. Director Estate, NCWD and head NCWD-GIZ artisan training programme, Mr. Ben Agada and other members of his team also received plaudits from the grateful graduates.
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