President Muhammadu Buhari has defended his decision to entrust the country’s treasury in the hands of women by insisting that such strategic positions like the financial sector, in their care will ensure effective management of limited resources available, and promote a stronger sense of inclusiveness.
In a statement on Thursday, presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, said the president made the disclosure while receiving a delegation of National, Zonal, State and FCT Women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the party Women Leader, Hajiya Salamatu Umaru Baiwa at the State House.
According to Adesina, President Buhari said he preferred women to oversee the economic and financial hub of the country, Ministry of Finance, as they can readily deploy their experience in aligning resources with the needs of the country, explaining that the nation also had many female technocrats with local and international experiences on economy and finance.
Buhari was quoted to have said, “I am happy that I can defend myself very effectively on this issue. The APC party leader is my witness. Since the coming into power of this administration I have handed over the treasury to women.
“Even at household level, you hand over the money to women to manage. It can be taken to the level of managing the country’s treasury as well. I have consistently given it to women. It is strategic.
“I am conscious of the leadership roles of women in the society and by my action, I have justified my belief.’’
The President reiterated that his administration will ensure inclusiveness for women and youths, especially in the second term, by providing more access to facilities that will enable spread of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, and encourage more interest in agriculture.
“We have to move away from the traditional ways of farming that were practiced in the pre-colonial and colonial era,’’ he added.
According to the statement, Buhari further explained he instructed ministers to work with traditional institutions to encourage interest in farming, with the Central Bank of Nigeria readily providing loans at low interest rates and longer periods of repayment.
“On unemployment, I know there is no able bodied person that went back to the farm in the last three years that regretted the action,’’ he added.
In her remarks, the APC Woman Leader while congratulating President Buhari for his victory at the polls and the tribunal, commended the administration for its efforts in managing the affairs of the country, which provided the impetus for the vigorous campaigns.
According to her, women were particularly pleased and willing to vote for the President because the government deliberately formulated some policies to favour and empower women, like the social intervention Trader Moni.
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