Women Empowerment: 2023 budget not in conformity with president’s promise – Group

Hajiya Aishatu Debola Aminu, Country Director, New Faces New Voices Nigeria, says there was much hope when President Muhammadu Buhari mentioned in the 2023 budget presentation that Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) is a priority.

Debola said this while addressing a press conference in Kano on Friday.

According to her, at the state level financial inclusion in Kano is very low, with only 14.3% of women having a bank accounts, which she attributed to unstable income and employment.

She said the coalition is soliciting the national assembly to increase the strategic role of the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

“New Faces New Voices Nigeria in Collaboration with development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) has revealed that there was much hope and positivity when President Muhammadu Buhari mentioned in 2023 budget presentation that Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) is a government priority in the budget adding that it was however unfortunate that the budget shows otherwise.

“At the state level financial inclusion in Kano is very low, with only 14.3% of women having a bank account which is attributed to unstable income and employment causing hindrance women’s potential contribution to the nation’s socio-economic progress.”

Similarly, she stresses that the coalition is soliciting the national assembly to increase the strategic role of the ministries, departments and agencies, especially the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in women economic empowerment in the sub-national level by funding the nation’s numerous women centres under the agency among other eleven prayers issued by the coalition.