October 13, (THEWILL) — The wife of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and President of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA), Mrs Kikelomo Adeniyi, has reaffirmed her commitment to advancing women’s empowerment and environmental sustainability through the newly launched Green Borders Sustainability Initiative.
Mrs Adeniyi stated this while presenting sewing machines and foodstuffs to widows within the communities of Customs operations in the state capital.
She said the gesture equips women with the skills and confidence to become self-reliant.
She said the COWA delegation was in the state to implement the Green Borders Sustainability Initiative and sensitise women on important issues such as the need to vaccinate their children against measles and rubella.
Mrs Adeniyi emphasised that COWA’s empowerment drive focuses on helping women discover flexible and sustainable means of livelihood that allow them to contribute meaningfully to their families’ welfare.
“We don’t go anywhere without empowering women. We want our women to be self-sufficient because while men are the heads of the home, women are the pillars and nurturers”, she said.
“You can create something valuable from your home and still support your family. This reduces pressure on your husband and brings happiness to your household.”
Highlighting the environmental component of the project, Mrs Adeniyi explained that COWA conducts monthly clean-up exercises across border communities and discourages open waste burning, which contributes to pollution.
“We go to border areas, clean them up, and ensure waste is properly managed. Some people even earn income through recycling what others see as waste”, she noted.
She also revealed plans to extend the association’s activities to strategic borders such as Illela in Sokoto State due to its economic relevance.
“We are particularly interested in the Illela border because of its importance to Nigeria’s economy. We plan to establish an eco club in Sokoto and officially return to collaborate with the state government”, she added
In her remarks, the wife of the Sokoto State Governor, Hajiya Mariya Ahmad Aliyu, commended COWA’s vision and pledged the government’s support for the Green Borders Sustainability Initiative.
“I assure you of my full support so that the task ahead will be a success. Here in Sokoto, we are already implementing several programs to improve the living conditions of our people. We will continue to collaborate with you so that our citizens can benefit as they should”, she said
Hajiya Aliyu described the visit as a welcome step toward strengthening partnerships for women’s empowerment and sustainable development.
The highlight of the visit was the distribution of sewing machines and foodstuffs to community widows, tree planting in Illela border communities, and commissioning of the COWA office.
Tunde Omolehin is an award-winning Journalist with prose in investigative and storytelling that is connecting the dots between the under-reported communities and policymakers to ensure good governance and accountability.
