RMRDC, NAWOJ FCT Partner To Amplify Raw Materials, Women Empowerment Agenda
A partnership between the media and Nigeria’s raw materials development agency is expected to put greater public attention on the women, innovations and value chains that can drive industrial growth.
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), FCT Chapter, have signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen media advocacy, public awareness and visibility of the Council’s programmes and interventions.
The agreement, signed in Abuja on Monday, also covers women empowerment, raw materials processing and value-chain development, as well as capacity building in raw materials processing and product development.
Speaking at the ceremony, NAWOJ FCT Chairperson, Bassey Ita Ikpang, described the agreement as the beginning of a strategic partnership that would deepen public understanding of RMRDC’s contribution to Nigeria’s industrial and economic development.
She said women journalists understood the power of information to influence society and drive development, adding that NAWOJ FCT would deploy its platforms to tell stories that inform, educate and inspire Nigerians.
Ikpang said the association would give greater visibility to initiatives capable of creating economic opportunities, particularly for women, while strengthening public awareness of the importance of Nigeria’s raw materials sector.
She also commended the RMRDC management for recognising the role of women journalists in development communication and pledged NAWOJ FCT’s commitment to ensuring that the partnership produces meaningful results.
The Deputy Director of the RMRDC Gender and Mainstreaming and Disability Unit, Dr Grace Abidoye, said the partnership would provide an important platform for expanding public awareness of the Council’s programmes and reaching wider audiences.
She stressed the value of working with NAWOJ to promote initiatives that can empower women, support value addition and contribute to national development.
The RMRDC Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, however, challenged both organisations to ensure the MoU does not remain a ceremonial document.
Ike-Muonso charged the Gender Department and NAWOJ FCT, as the principal users of the agreement, to give it “a teeth” by developing concrete projects with measurable outcomes.
He said the partnership must move beyond the signing ceremony and translate into practical programmes that harness the strengths of both organisations for the benefit of Nigerians.
Earlier, a representative of the RMRDC Director of Legal and Board Services, Mr Idaopu Wakama, explained that the MoU provides the framework for collaboration between the two organisations.
According to him, its scope includes media advocacy and public awareness, women empowerment, raw materials processing and value-chain development, and capacity building in raw materials processing and product development.
The agreement will run for an initial two years and may be renewed by mutual agreement.
Beyond increasing the visibility of RMRDC’s interventions, the partnership is expected to create opportunities for women journalists to play a stronger role in reporting and advocacy around industrial development, innovation, raw materials utilisation and economic empowerment.
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