Centre to design programmes to boost productivity of women

 By Collins Olayinka, Abuja

Plans are underway by the National Productivity Centre (NPC) to develop specific programmes aimed at boosting the productivity of women in their various endeavours.

The Director-General of the Centre, Dr Kashim Akor, who stated this in Lokoja, Kogi State, at the decoration of Yahaya Bello, governor of Kogi State as an ambassador by the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), explained that conversations that equip individuals and build the capacity of organizations with the requisite knowledge, tools and techniques for working smart and continuous improvement are of utmost interest to the NPC.

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He added that the Centre would collaborate with the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) to design cutting edge programmes that would target improving the productivity of women in their chosen fields of endeavour.  
 
“To this end, we shall continue our collaboration with the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) to design and implement cutting-edge programmes aimed at promoting the productivity of Nigerian women. In furtherance of this collaboration, the Centre will soon conduct a survey on ‘Factors affecting the Productivity of Women Entrepreneurs in Nigeria’ with some of the respondents drawn from Kogi State.”
 
The NPC boss lauded governor Bello for surpassing the 35 percent affirmative action for women and his immense contribution in building the capacity of women in the state. 

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Akor stated that women are occupying high offices in Kogi state, which is a testament to the conviction that women are drivers of economic development.  
 
His words: “It is also on record that the Secretary to the Government of Kogi State and the Head of Service have all been women since the inception of His Excellency’s administration in 2016. In the history of the nation, the 1st female ADC to a state governor was appointed by Governor Yahaya Bello. To cap it all, the Commissioner for Women Affairs remains a lady and we have on good authority that seven women are Director-Generals/Chief Executive Officers in Kogi State. Above all, for the first time in Kogi political history, we have a woman at the Federal Executive Council in the person of Dr. Ramatu Aliyu Tijanni, Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory.”
 
The NPC helmsman hinted that on the whole, the total percentage of women in government at the local government level in Kogi state is 45%, which is 10 per cent higher than what was recommended at the Beijing conference. 

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“This is 10% above the Beijing conference requirement of 35%. There is a total of 103 women in government in all the Local Government Councils of Kogi State. Never has this occurred in the history of the State and in Nigeria. This is indeed a great feat worth celebrating. We are therefore proud of the governor’s achievements especially providing women with the opportunity to contribute their quota as mothers and leaders to the political and socio-economic development of the State,” he said.
 
Akor submitted that bestowing the award of the ‘Most gender-sensitive governor in Nigeria’ on the governor is a call to offer more quality service, saying, “I want to congratulate our dear Governor for the award and to quickly remind him that to whom much is given, much is expected. The National Productivity Centre as a knowledge-based institution will continue to assist in building your capacities. As an Ambassador, our women look up to you to further advance the cause of the Nigerian woman.”