The Nation ng
Posted By: Augustine Ehikioya, Abuja
The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has been invested as Global Grant Patron of Nigeria-Morocco Businesswomen Summit in recognition of her commitment to uplift the living standards of women and children.
She was decorated during the maiden edition of the Nigeria-Morocco Businesswomen Summit in Marrakech, Morocco on Wednesday 15th November, 2017.
A statement issued on Sunday by Suleiman Haruna, Director of Information to Wife of the President, said that Mrs. Buhari was represented at the event by Mrs. Gimbiya Dogara, wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
In her acceptance speech, Mrs. Buhari said her passion for improving the lives of women and children is the reason she organizes medical outreach programmes, skill acquisition sessions, women empowerment programmes as well as advocacy for the rights of women and the girl child.
These initiatives, she said, are the contributions she is making to ensure that the future of women and children is assured; and that was why she named her pet project Future Assured.
Speaking on the Summit, Mrs. Buhari said it provides an opportunity for business women from the two countries to take advantage of opportunities.
She called on the women to support each other and contribute to the economic development of their countries.
Explaining the rationale for honouring Mrs. Buhari, Mr. Hassan Lahlou, chair of the award event, said Mrs. Buhari’s efforts at empowering women has been widely recognized and should be encouraged.
He said thousands of women have become self-reliant by learning vocational skills, courtesy of her Future Assured Programme.
Speaking on the reason for the summit, Mr. Lahlou said it is meant to establish Nigeria-Morocco Business Women Forum in order to strengthen business relationship between women of the two countries.
The summit provided an opportunity to connect, share, collaborate and make plans on how to invest, grow, and develop women’s businesses both in small and large scale.
An exhibition was held to display products from Nigeria and Morocco.
At the event were wives of governors, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Dr. Hajo Sani and Director-General, National Center for Women Development, Barrister Mary Etta.
