The Central Bank of Nigeria on Tuesday said it was currently working with banks to ensure that a certain percentage of the position of senior management and board members were reserved for women.

It also said that it would establish a “special fund” by the end of the year to empower Nigerian women operating in the Small and Medium Enterprises sector of the economy.

The Governor, CBN, Mr. Lamido Sanusi, who disclosed these in Abuja during the 6th annual microfinance conference and entrepreneurship awards, noted that the fund would be disbursed to the women at a single digit interest rate.

The conference with the theme, “Refocusing microfinance for entrepreneurship development in Nigeria,” was aimed at creating a microfinance environment that would respond positively to the demand for financial services by micro entrepreneurs in the country.

It had in attendance President Goodluck Jonathan, governors of Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, and Kano states, among others key players in the financial sector.

Sanusi explained that the move to empower more women was aimed at boosting the Federal Government’s programme on job creation and poverty alleviation.

The CBN boss also hinted that the Bankers’ Committee had declared the 2012 financial period “a year of women empowerment,” adding that a sub-committee had been formed to enable Deposit Money Banks achieve that objective.

He said, “The drive towards electronic payment systems, beginning with cash-less Lagos, is only the initial pointer to the fact that business would be a nightmare for Small and Medium Enterprises that do not embrace the web in Nigeria.

“The Bankers’ Committee has made 2012 the year of women empowerment. A sub-committee on women empowerment has been formed. We are working at establishing a special fund by the end of the year that will provide credit facilities to women at a single digit interest rate.”

What could have been another Boko Haram tragic incident this year, was averted over the weekend, by staff of a private security firm, Encouragers Security company Limited, thwarted attempt by a female suicide bomber, suspected member of the deadly Islamic sect, Boko Haram from gaining entrance into the complex of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) with explosives.

The incident which happened on Friday, last week, during working hours , send fears into the spine of thousands of workers who were aware of the development making them to hurriedly close from work before the usual 4 pm official closing hours

Daily Champion learnt from reliable sources that the slim fair -in complexion lady in her 20s who hails from Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, where the FCT minister also hails from was arrested by the security men at the gate with two explosives items.

The FCTA complex which the sect had attempted bombing houses the offices of the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed; Minister of State FCT Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina as well as thousands of other workers.

According to the source, the fairly looking lady had arrived at the area 11 around noon from Dei-Dei a suburb of the FCT where she passed a night upon arrival in the FCT.

She was said be a first time visitor to Abuja and could not locate the FCTA therefore, had to a hire a taxis that brought her to the target.

When she arrived, she found the security arrangement hard to penetrate and she quickly contacted her co travelers in the ill fated project but she was told to wait then, she decided to be loitering waiting for the next instruction from her sponsors.

Sources further gathered that the plot by hers sponsors was to keep her till their expected arrival from Kano after the 2 pm Jumat prayers would have been over and then, instruct her to fellow the crowd that usually prays outside the premises inside unchecked, to pave way for them to effectively detonate the bomb.

According to the source when the next instruction from her sponsors delayed in coming, the visibly worried attempted in entering the complex through the gate meant for only motorist then she was asked by the private guard where she was going.

She could not satisfy the guard about her mission with her poorly spoken English which made the security man to suspect her motive.

She was said to have managed to inform the security man that she was waiting for her brother, at this point the guard ask her to identify herself and she said she was coming from Kano this made security guy curious as the bomber was quickly arrested.

Our source told us that the lady confessed that when the JUMAT ended she actually became unhappy and afraid that she was going to kill so many Muslims who came out from the FCTA premises to pray.

Our correspondent further learnt that when the FCT Minister heard about the incident he ordered that the lady be brought to his official residence where he was at the moment and upon confession of the planned attack the female bomber was handed -over to the Police Special Anti- robbery Squared (SARS).

While she was being detained at the SARS office in Guzape, District, her sponsors gut wind of it and made attempt to bomb the SARS office in order to prevent her from revealing important information.

All attempt by our correspondent to speak with the FCDA Divisional of Police Officer as well as the Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on security proved abortive as several calls put across to the DPO phone were not answered.

In the same vain Prince Shield Nwazuruahu SA security to the minister was said to be in a crucial meeting by his staff when Daily Champion visited his office.

Meanwhile, Daily Champion gathered that an emergency security meeting which was held yesterday took a decision that no staff should stay within the office complex beyond 6 pm.

The circular entitled: Improving Security around the FCTA Secretariat dated 30th January 2012, decided among others issues that no private car should be allowed to park within in the premises.

It was also agreed in the meeting that members of staff who expect any visitor must send the name of such visitor to the security personnel for clearance.

The circular which was sent to all the secretariats and departmental heads as was well as aides of the minister also warned staff against bringing non- staff members in their vehicles.

Source: Daily Champion
http://africanspotlight.com/2012/01/female-boko-haram-suicide-female-bomber-arrested-in-abuja/

manny4life:
Unfortunately, I'm not claiming pro women either, but I disagree with most of yall on here, women empowerment is very important because society treats them as "minority" which isn't right. That a certain % (probably single digit) is reserved for women candidates doesn't mean that there aren't women who are qualified to take up such position, it just means that it has been reserved for a certain group (women) who meet up qualifications.

Blackteeth:

Am against women empowerment via placements in high positions because it doesn't help to distribute wealth among the population. Wealthy women stay single or still marry wealthy men and depend on them therefore accumulating wealth for themselves. But if you give a man that position he can marry a poor jobless lady and pull her out of poverty. But this is not the case with a wealthy woman in that position.
Women should simply be in the kitchen pounding fufu and changing the baby's nappies at home.

Seun:

I'm a feminist in many ways, but affirmative action is a big mistake. Women should not be hired just because you are trying to fill a certain quota. They should be hired because they are good. If we want more women in management, we should provide them with management training and career advancement training so they can convince their bosses to promote them on merit. Affirmative action is a lazy idea that doesn't help society.

obo_man:
Would you say the same about race, especially in societies where ethnic minorities have been subjected to consistent segregation in the past?

Seun:

Yes. For example, if black kids in the US have lower test scores, the solution is not to lower admission standards for them, but to help them to improve their test scores. If black employees are under-represented in management, the solution is not to say X% of managers must be black. The solution is to develop more objective means of assessing managerial candidates and to encourage black employees to work harder on their management skills.