NAOWA PRESIDENT VISITS MINISTER FOR WOMEN AFFAIRS

As part of her effort toward expanding Nigerian Army Officers’ Wives Association (NAOWA) activities through collaborations, the President NAOWA Mrs Salamatu F Yahaya has paid a courtesy visit to the Minister for Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, at her office in Abuja.

While briefing the Minister, the NAOWA President, highlighted the history of NAOWA’s existence as a strong association which she said started as Army Wives Association (AWA) and was later change to the present name NAOWA. She also informed the minister that NAOWA has maintain its main goal of charitable activities and promoting bonding amongst wives of Military Officers.

Mrs Yahaya added that NAOWA has now transformed into a leadership institution where members get firsthand experience on human resource management, business management, public relations and occupational initiatives. She attributed these transformations to the legacies put in place by past NAOWA leaders in the form of structural leadership posts, academic institutions, vocational training, health care facilities and business initiatives amongst others.

NAOWA President further acquainted the minister about the achievements of the Association under her watch which include consolidating all NAOWA assets by revamping existing structures, establishing partnership with various states and non-state actors, facilitating leadership trainings for members, staff trainings and capacity development, humanitarian outreaches, advocacy for the rights of women both within and outside the barracks community amongst others.

Mrs Salamatu Yahaya sought for collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Woman Affairs which she said would have a far-reaching positive effect on women, children and the Nigerian society at large.

In her remarks the Minister of Women Affairs, Her Exellency Mrs Pauline Tallen appreciated the NAOWA President on the achievements recorded by the Association and further applauded NAOWA Members for taking good care of the home front in the absence of their husbands who are in the frontline.

She however, promised her ministry’s support and collaboration with NAOWA in achieving all her goals toward promoting and enhancing living standard of women and children, especially in the area of advocacy against gender-based violence in the society.

Present during the occasion were Minister of Agriculture, Dr Mohammed Mahmud, Permanent Secretaries of both Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Agriculture, Directors from the Ministry of Women Affairs and NAOWA Executives.

Other Highpoints of the event includes presentation of souvenir, group photographs and flag-off of distribution of palliatives to women by the Ministry of Women Affairs in conjunction with Ministry of Agriculture.