By Vivian Ottih
The need for women to venture into the dynamics world of commerce and industry to support their career has formed crux of discourse in recent times. Recently in a boardroom meeting between the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) and the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Association of Nigeria(SMEDAN) held in Abuja, the National Chairperson of NAWOJ, Aisha Ibrahim Bura stated that capacity building of members of the Nigeria Associationq of Women Journalists is one of the cardinal points that drives her administration’s resolve. In her words, “NAWOJ is a professional association of women in the media, in print, electronic and new media and that Most members of NAWOJ are also in the employment of government who would one day retire from active public practice, by then their Pension alone cannot cater for their burdens of responsibilities they will continue to bear in their various families. The NAWOJ boss reiterated the importance of women to have some other means of earning extra income in order not to meet a herculean and daunting time in their lives in the event of their eventual retirement. Aisha Bura commendedq the efforts of SMEDAN in pushing for economic empowerment of women through diligent and committed guidance andq the emergence of female captains of industries in Nigeria. The NAWOJ National Chairperson requested for SMEDAN support to build the capacity of women Journalists in Technology as well as enhance their existing skills. In their various remarks, the Deputy Director of SMEDAN and head of Women and Youth Unit Mrs Olabimpe Fawale and the Chief Enterprise Officer Regina Bamaiyi, stated that the primary responsibility of SMEDAN is to ensure the growth of small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria. They commended the national leadership of NAWOJ for the initiative to empower its members to cushion the lethargy qand despair that often comes with retirement pointing out that the most concern group of persons are the retirees who are always faced with helpless situation when the regular salaries stoppes and more harsher realities stare them in the faces and goes to extreme hardship when they do not have any technical knowledge on starting up something new and understanding the rules and technicalities in business. Mrs Olabimpe Fawale and her colleague Regina Bamaiyi emphasised that SMEDAN will be available to intervene and give the required technical support, stressing the need for NAWOJ as an Association of Women in the media to structure the initiative across the zones and prepare her members for an uncertain future.. They also assured the National Chairperson of NAWOJ of SMEDAN’s support in translating ideas into realities. Among delegation that accompanied the National Chairperson on the visit are: the National Secretary of NAWOJ, Wasilah Ladan, the Zonal Vice Chairperson Zone D Chizoba Ogbeche, the Chief of Staff to the National Chairperson Grace Ijeoma Umeh, and Esther Ado, a member FCT Chapter of NAWOJ. Also in the meeting was the chief Enterprises Officer of SMEDAN Regina Bamaiyi.
