By Taofeek LAWAL, Abuja
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Wednesday in Abuja donated office equipment to the Nigeria in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) the gesture the authority described as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts.
- L-R: Mr Dauda Kabir, Hon Dabiri-Erewa*
The NPA management team led by its General Manager, Abuja Liaison office, Mr. Edward Dauda Kabir who represented the NPA Managing Director, Hajia Hadiza Bala Usman, said the equipment were donated with the aim of improving NIDCOM’s working capacity and to meet NPA’ s mandate.
Handling over the equipment which comprises of 20 desktops, 10 laptops, 2 photocopy machines and other accessories to the chief executive office of NIDCOM, Honorable Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Mr. Dauda Kabir said NPA is a responsible corporate organization that is mindful of needs of sisters’ Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) to improve their working conditions. “We wish therefore to donate these items under our corporate social responsibility. I hereby deliver the items and convey the assurances of the MD’s commitment for national development,” he said.
Responding, the CEO NIDCOM, Honorable Abike Dabiri-Erewa describes the NPA’s gesture as a very good news in the midst of a very depressing week. She said the NPA has shown that itself as an organization with its thoughtfulness of its corporate social responsibility and added that it is what governance is all about; a sister agency helping a new sister agency.
She said, “These items are coming at a time when all our computers and printers have been locked up and for you to give us these many, you have just made our day. I’m not surprised that the MD, Hadiza Bala Usman, is a woman extending a hand of support to another woman. I really want to use this opportunity to say a big thank you to the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Her Excellency, Hajia Aisha Muhammadu Buhari who has been very supportive during these trying times so also is the Minister of Finance, Hajia Zainab Ahmed. This gesture has shown that women are always ready to support women.”
A carton of sanitizers containing 100 bottles was also donated to NIDCOM by students under the umbrella of Nigerian Diaspora Movement from the United States.
In a related development, the NIDCOM boss commented on the rising rape cases in the country in recent times. She referred to the case of another girl in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, Barakat Bello, who was raped and murdered while Nigeria is still dealing with case of Uwaila Omozuwa, who was raped and murdered in Benin City, Edo’s state capital and 16 year old Tina in Jigawa State.
She expressed the fear that Nigerian women are becoming endangered species and called on the society to rise up and save the Nigerian women, the Nigerian girl and not just the women but the men too. “We called on Nigerians to speak out on violence against women particularly rape and all forms of violence. I sponsored the bill of violence against women in parliament, it is a law now and I hope we all use that law. The law however must be strengthened because anybody who rapes deserves to be castrated as is being canvassed now. Something is definitely wrong with the people that engage in rape and this should worry everyone of us whether male or female. I want to call on states that are yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act to implement it so as to forestall the rising ugly trend. The Nigerian women is not being protected, she is being vilified and like said, a society that denigrates its women will not make progress.”
The State Online recalls that there has been a running battle between the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ibrahim Pantami, and NIDCOM over office space at the Mbora District in Abuja, a situation that has led to war of words between Dabiri-Erewa and the minister.