In a bid to promote gender equality and empower female cadets, the Honourable Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister (Mrs) Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has charged the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) to equip female cadets with confidence, efficiency, and resilience for future leadership roles.
Barrister (Mrs) Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye gave the charge Wednesday in Kaduna when she visited the Nigeria Defence Academy, as part of activities marking her one year anniversary in office, where she emphasized the need to empower female cadets for challenging positions in the military.
She urged the NDA to create an enabling environment that fosters confidence, creativity, and competence in them so as to pave the way for gender equality in the top hierarchy of the Armed Forces.
Kennedy-Ohanenye highlighted the natural grace and resilience of women, citing their ability to bring forth and nurse lives, adding also that a little push in the area of boosting their self worth will assist in unlocking their full potentials, thus enabling them to contribute their quota to the building of a better Nigeria.
The Minister reiterated the present administration’s commitment to developing the girl-child’s potential for leadership so as to also harness their abilities alongside their male counterparts to enable a generation of genders who together work towards the building of the country of our dreams.
With the Minister’s clarion call, the Nigerian Defence Academy is poised to play a pivotal role in empowering female cadets for excellence and leadership, and in that way, ensure the realization of a new generation of female General Officers Commanding Divisions, Service Chiefs, and other top military brass who will contribute to a more inclusive and equitable society in the nearest future.
While commending the First Nigerian Female Graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Uk 2nd Lt Princess Owowoh for making the nation proud, Kennedy-Ohanenye called on the female cadets to strive for excellence in the male dominated profession as this will earn them the needed recognition while they progress in the Army, Navy and Air force.
She informed that the Ministry on its part was working assiduously towards the empowerment of the gender through skill acquisition programmes, provision of sustainable empowerment machines to States in line with their needs, not only to check insecurity and alleviate poverty, among others, but also to give women an opportunity to earn and contribute to the socio-economic development of the nation.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Major General John Ochai stated that the Institution stands on the principles of equity, inclusivity, and diversity in the scheme of its affairs.
While commending the Honourable Minister for her commitment to the upliftment of the lives of Nigerian women, he pledged the Academy’s commitment to the realization of the objectives and policies of government, especially as it relates to gender equality.
Highlights of the visit include the presentation of packs of sanitary pads, other toiletress to the Cadets and tour of key facilities in the Academy by the Honourable Minister as well as presentation of an NDA Crest by the Commandant, Major General John Ochai to her.
Signed
Mrs. Grace Njoku
Head, Information and Public Relations
