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Obaseki Prioritising Women’s Economic Empowerment – Edo First Lady

Published

4 years ago

February 22, 2022

The First Lady of Edo State, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, has stated that the Godwin Obaseki’s administration is prioritising women’s economic empowerment, in order for them to be more productive, thereby moving the state and Nigeria forward.

Mrs. Obaseki made the disclosure in Benin on Tuesday, while declaring open a policy dialogue to reflect on women economic empowerment intervention and programming in Edo State.

The policy dialogue was organised by Edo State Partnership for Advancing Women in Economic Development (PAWED) Advocacy Coalition, which was supported by the development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC).

The wife of Obaseki who was a special guest of honour at the event also stated that Edo government was ready and committed to adequately empowerinh the state’s women.

Edo First Lady, who was represented by the Managing Director, EdoJOBS, Ukinebo Dare, noted that Obaseki’s government had continually prioritised women’s empowerment through the administration’s various interventions targeted at improving women’s economic livelihoods and development.

The Coordinator of Edo State PAWED advocacy coalition, Mrs. Vivian Evbotokhai, in her welcome address, declared that Obaseki’s administration was taking the lead in investment in women’s economic empowerment.

She noted that the project was targeted at pushing for Edo government to fulfil its commitments for women’s economic empowerment.

Evbotokhai also urged women in Edo to be more industrious and supportive of the state government, while stressing that PAWED and dRPC had a responsibility to establish a platform for productive and continuous interface between the Edo state women’s economic collectives and women’s empowerment related Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

While also speaking, PAWED advocacy coalition’s second lead, Mrs. Bliss Ojeruse, stated that Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) had been recognised as a bridge to glaring gender disparity across the globe.

She said: “It is recognised that investing in WEE, through training and financial support, boosts productivity, increases economic diversification and income equality, in addition to other positive development outcomes.

“When a woman is given the same access to productive resources as men, on average, they could increase yields on their farms by 20-30 per cent. Investment in women economic empowerment helps to reduce gender issues relating to land acquisition by allowing women secure rights to land, reduce difficulties in securing labour and credit, and prevent inequitable access to herbicides, fertilisers, and extension service.

“Ensuring economic opportunities for women is an important entry point for ensuring better education, health and nutrition outcomes for families.

“In 2022, the Edo State government three specific projects for the women economic empowerment projects include Edo women for agric project – N10 million; provision of equipment for women/economic empowerment – N20 million; and the construction and installation of cages (women and youth empowerment programme), with N40 million allocated to WEE in 2022, compared with N7 million in 2021, thereby constituting 471.42 per cent increase.”

Headline

Again, Russia Claims Another Village In Ukraine’s Region

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The Russian army Monday claimed to have captured another village in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, moving deeper into Ukrainian territory as peace efforts stall.

Russian forces are slowly but steadily gaining ground in costly battles for largely devastated areas in eastern and central Ukraine, normally with few inhabitants or intact buildings left.

Russia’s defence ministry said its forces had seized the settlement of Zaporizke in the region, which Russian troops recently advanced into for the first time in the three-and-a-half-year offensive.

Kyiv denies that Russian troops have gained a foothold in the Dnipropetrovsk region, an important industrial hub.

After another push by US President Donald Trump to broker a Ukraine-Russia summit, hopes for peace dimmed when Russia last week ruled out any immediate meeting between presidents Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelensky.

The central region of Dnipropetrovsk has previously been largely spared from fighting that has ravaged swathes of eastern and southern Ukraine, until Russia said its forces broke through in July.

Dnipropetrovsk is not one of the five Ukrainian regions — Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea — that Moscow has publicly claimed as Russian territory.

Ukraine said Russia had launched over 100 drones Monday, killing a 37-year old civilian driver and wounding two people in the northeastern Sumy region.

Moscow said Kyiv had launched about two dozen drones targeting western Russia

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US Comedian Reggie Carroll Shot Dead In Mississippi

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

A United States comedian, Reginald “Reggie” Carroll, has been shot dead in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 52-year-old Carroll, widely known as the Knockout King of Comedy, was reportedly killed on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.

The Southaven Police Department confirmed the incident in a Facebook statement on Saturday.

“Southaven officers located one male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.

“The officers and medical personnel provided life saving techniques but the individual succumbed to his injuries,” the statement partly read.

The victim was later identified as Carroll, a Baltimore native.

Police said one suspect was arrested and charged with his murder.

“One male is in custody and has been charged with the murder of Reginald Carroll.

“Our thoughts are with the family of Mr. Carroll.

“Thank you to the community for their patience and understanding,” the department added.

The police further assured that there was no ongoing threat to residents, describing the case as “an isolated shooting.”

Carroll, who built his career in stand-up comedy, gained national recognition touring with Katt Williams and headlining his own showcase, Knockout Kings of Comedy.

He also featured in the 2000 edition of Showtime at the Apollo, appeared on the UPN sitcom The Parkers alongside Mo’Nique and Countess Vaughn, and starred in the 2022 television film Rent & Go.

In 2023, he produced the stand-up special Knockout Kings of Comedy.

The Southaven Police Department disclosed that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

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US Defends New Social Media Vetting For Nigerian Visa Applicants

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2025

Editor

The U.S. Mission in Nigeria on Monday reaffirmed that the safety and security of the United States remain the cornerstone of its visa application and decision-making process.

The US said this following its directive last week that mandates Nigerians to disclose all social media usernames and handles used over the past five years as part of the visa application process.

US Mission said Nigerian visa applicants must provide a comprehensive list of their social media profiles on the DS-160 visa application form, and warned that omitting the information could lead to visa denials.

Reacting to the development, the Federal Government said US citizens intending to visit Nigeria will be subjected to the same measures.

“The best we can do is to carry out reciprocal action. Some people from the US might want to apply for a visa, and we will adopt the same measures,” spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said last Monday.

However, in a statement released Monday on X, the US Mission said prospective visa applicants undergo careful vetting to maintain a safe and welcoming environment in the US.

It said, “The safety and security of the United States is at the heart of every #USVisa application and decision process.

“That’s why prospective applicants undergo careful screening to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”

The Mission added, “These measures help protect American citizens and communities while supporting secure and responsible travel.”