Bomba Dauda
The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Hajiya Sabuwa Balarabe urged women, victims of the incessant attacks from Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Igabi and Southern Kaduna to embrace western education to strategically position themselves in today’s world.
She made the call at the 2021 International Women’s Day (IWD) celebration in Kaduna, with the theme: “Providing Psycho-socio Support to Women in Conflict Areas,” which was put together by the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with the Kaduna State Ministry of Human Services and Social Development.
“In today’s world,” Balarabe said. “It is very important for women to be educated. There are a lot of opportunities but, such opportunities can never be accessed if you don’t have the requisite knowledge and skill.” She advised women who are illiterates to enroll in any Literacy Education Programme under the Ministry for Local Government.
The most powerful woman in the state also spoke about insecurity in Kaduna state and averred that the state government will continue to assist security agents where necessary to forestall insecurity. She equally enjoined people to always share with the security apparatus any vital information that can help to effectively fight insecurity.
“We will continue to assist our security agents; it is shocking to note that Kaduna state has an estimated population of about 10m people against a 10,000 Police and about 1,000 Civil Defense. It is very important when we have information on any impending danger we should call the necessary authority for swift intervention. There are security numbers given to all of you, if there is any information you should not hesitate, call on the security personnel.”
According to Maryam Muazu, the Director, YOUTH Development Department, Ministry of Human Services and Social Development, Kaduna State, this administration hold women in high esteem that’s why we have a Deputy Governor in Kaduna state who is a woman and we have other seven women as commissioners. So, as women, we appreciate the governor for the space given to women to contribute to nation building and development.
Speaking at the function, USAID/NERI programme Director, Omokide Chikodinaka, declared that, USAID is actively working and supporting Kaduna State in a lot of activities, it has worked with the state peace commission, and support KADSEMA and Human Services Ministry but, for the IWD 2021 we are partnering with the Kaduna State Ministry for Human Services and Social Development to challenge some areas that have kept the IDPs down. And for the ministry they are trying to map out the coping mechanism and NERI is actually pushing the ministry and the state government to begin consider sociopathic support as a coping mechanism and I think that’s our theme for today. Beyond giving them the various needs that we have identified that they have but, also what we have not identified that’s the psycho-socio support and we are calling on the government to continually support the ministry to provide this psycho-socio support in conflict affected areas.
