Women Minister Kennedy-Ohanenye Rejects Loans for Women, Announces US Crop Deal To Combat Poverty

In a drive to further empower Nigerian women and keep poverty at bay, the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye has stated in clear terms that except loans gotten by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which will have no interest of any kind, the ministry does not want loans for Nigerian women.

Also, the ministry has entered into a multi-million dollars agreement with the State of Atlanta in the US for the planting of special crops like sun flower, hibiscus and Jatropha in Nigeria which will be bought-off Nigerian women for the production of fuel and other commodities in the US.

The minister who stated this on Wednesday in Abuja during a press briefing, said loans received in the name of Nigerian women for their empowerment and benefit does not favour them in any way, hence the need to look outside the box for funds.

She said in empowering women, issues of out of school children, early marriages, social norms and many vices are tackled, while adding that people who are known for certain diseases are usually known to be poor hence the call for partnerships.

Her words: “We don’t want to continue with loans anymore and I’m sure that Nigerians will not want loans anymore. Except loans that the president will get which will not have any interest. Apart from that, I don’t want loans for women anymore because it doesn’t favour them.

“I want us to raise our money and the people that will raise machines for us and see what we are doing with it and not to put the country into any kind of financial stress.

“So, how do we go about funds for our projects? We have agreement with Atlanta State in Georgia who have told us to plant crops like sun flower, hibiscus and Jatropha for them. They will buy it off us where we can eat millions of dollars.”

She said so far, she has started farming on 800 hectares of land with no funds from the ministry, and added that rice has been planted on 500 hectares of land in Anambra, Kano, Jigawa, Niger, Kaduna, Plateau states, while corn has been planted on 100 hectares of land in Abuja.

She lamented the lack and insufficient storage system in the country which she attributes to one reason for poverty and hunger and said with the plan which will be unveiled in October, women will be empowered to change the narrative.

“So, we’ve gotten the machines to encourage growth, but we need more. So, on 15th October, 2024 at the Villa, we are going to unveil this programme for women because if a mother is empowered, she can take care of 20 persons.

“Except you empower women, things can’t change and that takes care of issues of out of school children, early marriages, social norms and many societal vices.

Kuni Tyessi

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