On the sidelines of yesterday’s activities in the office, I received a delegation from the Policy Innovation Centre of Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) led by the Executive Director, Dr. Osasuyi Dirisu.

I was particularly impressed by the primary goal of the NESG which is to advance issues relating to policy development and dialogue towards gender inclusion. The NESG is also involved in training resource persons on how to design capacity building programs that are gender-responsive on inclusion and sustainability that will benefit Nigerian women.
With their presentation, I tasked the NESG delegation on the need to partner with the Ministry to address existing gaps on implementation of donor funds meant for the welfare of Nigerian women and other vulnerable people.

I also reiterated the need for us to partner towards restructuring and redesigning policy frameworks that will ensure transparency and accountability for donor funds. To underscore our commitment towards re-creating Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerians through some people-oriented initiatives such as the E-Market portal tagged PBAT Cares for Women which will provide a one-stop-shop as convergence point for buyers, sellers, farmers, manufacturers, NGOs and other relevant players to rebuild the trust of Nigerians and an Integrity Brigade that will monitor and ensure that funds meant for Nigerians get to the supposed beneficiaries
I also told my guests that plans have reached advanced stage with the partnership of the Federal Ministry of Justice to formally unveil the Mobile Courts for quick dispensation of justice on issues bordering on gender based violence and other harmful practices against women and the girl child, with this arrangement, all gender based offences will be handled promptly by dedicated mobile courts as part of measures to give a new lease of life to the female gender in our society. I am optimistic that when gender based offences are handled promptly through normal judicial process and offenders are sanctioned accordingly, Nigerians will have a re-think on some age-long practices which depletes the integrity of women and the girl child.