From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Ene Obi
The ActionAid Nigeria has reminded women in leadership positions across Nigeria of the need to champion actions that will promote peaceful coexistence and unity of the people of their immediate environment.
The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria. Mrs. Ene Obi said the strive had become necessary to ensure active process driving that would help curb violence extremism in the Society.
Mrs Ene Obi who stated this in Lokoja on Tuesday, during Kogi State Women Summit on “Preventing Violence Extremism”, affirmed that women involvement in peace processes and negotiations was the surest means of achieving total prevention of violence in any given society.
The Country Director who was represented at the Summit by the The Manager, Humanitarian and Resilience, ActionAid Nigeria, Mr David Haba noted that when the Community is healthy, it will not only curb violence but will also contribute to the growth and development of the state and the country in general.
She however, commended the Kogi state government for its commitment in maintaining peace in the state and stressed the need for government to increase investment in women issues to enhance curbing Violence Extremism in the state.
Earlier, the State Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Bolanle Bola-Olorunsaiye stated that the Summit was aimed at providing a robust, deep and continuous advocacy to tame the scourge and trend of gender violence in Kogi state.
Bola said ” we are taking proactive measures and also collaborating with relevant agencies and partners to support policy strengthening, and institutional capacity building towards diverting interventions that would address Gender based Violence, Women peace and security”.
She noted that Kogi State Ministry of women Affairs and Social Development is presently collaborating with ActionAid Nigeria to implement Kogi State Action plan on peace and security for women and children adding ” implementation of this Action plan is a right peg in the right hole”
The Commissioner therefore, lauded ActionAid Nigeria and participation Initiative for Behavioural Change in Development for their constant willingness to partner with the Ministry and for impacting full programmes designed for the second Phase of the SERVE project in the state.
In her contribution, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Folasade Ayoade-Arike called on women in the state to hold their children firm against being used by politicians as thugs in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.
The SSG stressed the willingness of the state government to partner with any agency that could assist the state in curbing violent extremism and other vices that could ruin the future of women and their children.
