Supporting women farmers quickest route to attaining food security – Stakeholders

The Small-Scale Women Farmers Organization in Nigeria (SWOFON), Gombe State chapter, has called on the state government to support women in agriculture as well as youths to boost food security in the state and country.

The State Chairperson, SWOFON, Mrs. Airudia Mamman, made the call in Gombe on Thursday while commemorating the 2024 World Food Day in the state.

Mamman said that the quickest way to achieving food security efforts of the government was to empower small-scale women farmers in the state to cultivate more farmlands.

She said that with increased investments in line with the Malabo target of investing 10 per cent of their national budgets in agriculture, the state would be better placed to boost food availability.

According to her, since small-scale farmers form the largest population contributing to crops cultivation, supporting them will ensure that more farmers are reached for increased productivity.

Mamman called for more supports to women and youth farmers in the state while also urging government to release budgetary allocations to smallholder women farmers in the state.

She commended the state government for its supports to farmers, adding that with continued support, more women would be empowered and more jobs would be created.

“We urge the government to ensure timely release of funds allocated to smallholder farmers in the state annual budget to SWOFON to enable us implement our work plan towards boosting food security and reducing poverty.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Hope Foundation For the Lonely (HFL), Mrs Sarah Yapwa said that small-scale women farmers held the key to unlocking Nigeria’s potential in agriculture.

Yapwa said with the huge population of women in agriculture, leveraging that number would be the best way out of the threat of food crisis.

She said such farming population in the state, who are also involved in agriculture value-chain the state would not only be boosting food security but empowering women out of poverty and also tackling malnutrition.

She said if the state and Nigeria must have food in the near future, then ignoring women would be threatening to the food security efforts of government.

Other SWOFON members who spoke to NAN urged the state government to revamp irrigation farming in the state as way of mitigating the impact of climate change on agriculture.

On its part, the Gombe State government commended the contributions of small-scale women farmers in the state to boosting food security.

Mr Barnabas Malle, the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives gave the commendation, noting that women farmers form the largest farming population in the state.

Malle said that the state government had initiated several programmes and extension services aimed at supporting farmers to increase food availability in the state and country.

Malle who was represented by Mr Jonathan Bulus, Assistant Chief Principal Superintendent at the ministry said part of efforts to improve the agriculture sector led to the subsidising of fertilisers and other farm implements.

Our correspondent reports that the theme of the 2024 World Food Day which was marked on Wednesday is, “Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future”

The event to commemorate the day in the state was organised by the Gombe State chapter of SWOFON, Hope Foundation for the Lonely.

This was done in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives with support from ActionAid Nigeria.

Supporting women farmers quickest route to attaining food security – Stakeholders

ECOWAS Court Leadership Visits ECOWAS Commission Auditor General for Collaboration

By: Michael Mike

The President of the ECOWAS Court of Justice, the Honourable Justice Ricardo Claúdio Monteiro Gonçalves, accompanied by the Honourable Justice Sengu Mohamed Koroma, Vice-President of the Court, paid a courtesy visit to the Office of the ECOWAS Auditor General on 16 October 2024.

This meeting marks the beginning of a strengthened collaboration between the two institutions, in a spirit of transparency and good governance within the Community. 
In his address, João Alage Mamadu Fadia, Auditor General of ECOWAS Institutions, hailed the visit as a highly symbolic gesture, reflecting the willingness of the Court’s new management to work closely with his Office.

He recalled the scope of the ECOWAS mission, by stating that: ‘Serving a community of 15 Member States and more than 400 million citizens is an immense responsibility’. He also emphasized that the audit function is not limited to a control role, but also includes accompanying and advising institutions, in order to help them adhere to best governance practices. 

‘Our role is not to police, but to ensure that administrative and financial operations comply with established standards,’ he said.

He added that collaboration with the Court of Justice was crucial to enhancing transparency in the management of public affairs. 

In response, the Honourable Justice Ricardo Gonçalves expressed his commitment to working closely with the Office of the Auditor General throughout its mandate. ‘We recognise the important role of audit in improving our internal processes. We are here to express our willingness to follow your recommendations and to benefit from your advice in order to ensure sound and transparent management of the Court’, he said.

The President of the Court, who was also accompanied by the Chief Registrar, Dr. Yaouza Ouro-Sama, stressed that the management of the Court’s judicial and administrative affairs required meticulous rigour. He added that cooperation with the Office of the Auditor General would be a key factor in the Court’s success in meeting the highest standards of governance and accountability.

The Auditor General, surrounded by several members of his team, including the Director of Operational Audit and the Director of Performance Audit, reiterated his commitment to supporting the Court throughout his mandate, affirming that his Office will always be available to provide technical and advisory support.

ECOWAS Court Leadership Visits ECOWAS Commission Auditor General for Collaboration

Yobe Gov’t Constitutes Ten-Man Committee On New National Minimum Wage
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By: Sule Mamudo
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The Yobe State, Governor His Excellency Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON has approved the constitution of an ten-man committee on the new National Minimum wage recently approved by the federal government.

The ten-man Committee to be the chaired by the Secretary to the State Government has the state Head of the Civil Service as Co- Chair while the remaining will serve as members.

The members of the committee includes the Hon. Commissioner of Finance, Alh. Mohammed Abatcha Geidam, Budget and Economic planning Alh. Garba Gagiyo, Local Govt and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu Jajere FCNA, and the State Accountant General.
Others are Chairman Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Mukhtar Musa Tarabutu and TUC Bulama Musa while the Perm Sec Establishment Shuaibu Ibrahim Amshi and that of Public Service Office of the Head of Service Alh Dr. Bukar Kilo mni will serve as secretary and co-secretary respectively.

The ten man Committee will among other terms of reference workout modalities on the successful implementation of the new national minimum wage in the state.

The Committee will also determine the financial implication of the implementation of the new minimum wage at the State and Local Government in addition to make recommendations for Government consideration.

Yobe Gov’t Constitutes Ten-Man Committee On New National Minimum Wage