SAN FRANCISCO, February 11, (THEWILL) –Women in Borno State have been urged to go and pick up their Permanent Voter Cardss (PVCs) to enable them play a part in choosing their leaders.
Wife of Borno State Governor, Hajiya Nana Shettima, gave the charge, saying the PVCs would make the women exercise their civic rights in the forthcoming general elections.
Giving the charge while giving out some rice milling machines to women in agriculture in the state, she said: “I would call on all our good citizens to ensure that they have their permanent voter’s card collected as it is the only means of positive change and continuation of good administration and management of human’s resources.”
She urged the beneficiaries of the rice milling machines and all other poverty alleviation materials of the government to judiciously utilise them, saying under no condition must they sell the machines.
Explaining that the scheme is centered at ensuring that Borno women are brought into the mainstream through enhanced productivity, the governor’s wife said women form the simple most important group in the society and provide the bulk of the labour in rural communities.
According to her, “any policy or programme that will alleviate the sufferings of the women folk is highly welcomed,” and of benefit to the entire society.
Speaking earlier at the ceremony, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hajiya Inna Galadima, said the distribution of 50 Nano-3 rice milling machine with prime movers was the first phase of the programme, explaining that 50 power generators were equally given to the women.
She said the equipment were given to selected women from three of the 27 local governments areas of the state; Jere, Dikwa and Marte, saying other women from the remaining local government areas would be selected to benefit from the subsequent phases.
The commissioner explained that Nano-3 model rice milling machine is a simply designed, portable machine that can easily be maintained at a very minimal cost.
“It is ideal for household use with little power requirement of 229 volt and can be operated by a prime mover of 2.8-3.0 kilowatts generator. It is petrol operated machine and has the capacity to mill between 38-45 kilogramme/hour. It’s spare parts are available in the open markets at a very low price,” she said.
