Kwara State Government has teamed up with the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS) to advance women’s economic empowerment through a new partnership focused on development, research, and promotion.
During an advocacy visit to Kwara, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Afolashade Opeyemi Oluwakemi, and MINILS Director General, Comrade Issa Aremu, outlined the initiative’s goals. The project aims to adapt the National Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy (WEE) to Kwara State, fostering economic opportunities for women.
Represented by Hajia Biliqis Alaya, team lead of the Research, Development, and Project Center, Aremu emphasized that the policy, launched in December 2023, serves as a framework for guiding investments in women’s economic empowerment across Nigeria. He noted that several states have made significant progress in this area, with Kwara State now set to enhance its support for women’s development.
Aremu highlighted the policy’s focus on key sectors such as agriculture, education, entrepreneurship, technology, and financial inclusion. He urged the Commissioner to establish a committee involving ministry staff, relevant agencies, civil society, women’s groups, and community leaders to drive the initiative forward.
In response, Oluwakemi expressed the state government’s commitment to the project, praising Governor Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for his dedication to women’s development. She affirmed that the ministry would fulfill the necessary steps to implement the project, aiming to promote women’s inclusion and productive engagement.
Oluwakemi underscored the governor’s belief in empowering women as a means to strengthen the nation and expressed confidence that the partnership would yield positive outcomes for women in Kwara State.
