NAWOJ urges FG to set up mechanism to check inflation rate

Mon, Jul 18, 2022
By editor
4 MIN READ

Women

THE Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has urged the Federal Government to urgently put a mechanism to check the rate of inflation and high cost of living in the country.

This is contained in a Communique issued by the association on Sunday as part of the resolution reached at its National Executive Committee (NEC) held in Asaba and signed by Mrs Helen Udofa, National Secretary, NAWOJ.

The News Agency of Nigeria  (NAN) reports that Nigeria’s inflation rate in the month of June 2022 increased to 18.60 per cent on a year-on-year basis.

The National Bureau of Statistics disclosed in its Consumer Price Index June 2022 report.

The meeting, which was presided over by the National President of NAWOJ, Mrs Ladi Bala, extensively discussed issues concerning the Association and the state of the nation and also urged the federal government to reconcile its differences with the Academic Staff University so that Nigeria students could return to school.

“The NEC took a critical look at the increasing cost of products and services in Nigeria and called on the Federal Government to urgently set up a mechanism to check the rate of inflation and the high cost of living in the country.

“The NEC in a session called on the Federal Government to ensure that the ASUU strike is called off in the shortest possible time, to hasten the resumption of academic activities in public tertiary institutions nationwide.

“The NEC equally further calls on all political parties and their candidates to promote inclusiveness and unity in Nigeria, as the nation prepares for the next general elections.

Adding that the National Gender policy on 35 per cent Affirmative Action should be implemented.

The association demanded that women should be encouraged to get their Permanent Voters Card (PVCs )and ensure they exercise their franchise during the 2023 general elections, while underaged voting should be discouraged.

NAWOJ also commended political parties who picked women as running mates in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.

”NEC decries the alarming rate of out-of-school children in Nigeria, which according to UNICEF statistics is well over 10 million children.

”The NEC said this needs urgent attention.

” The NEC in the session said women should be encouraged to get their PVCs and ensure they exercise their franchise during the 2023 general elections, while underaged voting should be discouraged.

” It urged State Governments to ensure the domestication of the VAPP law, and also build and strengthen Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Reference Centres to handle SGBV-related cases and cater to the survivors.

“The NEC said governments should strengthen the Primary Health Care system to check the rate of mother and infant mortality.

NAWOJ urged state governments to ensure the domestication of the VAPP law, and also build and strengthen Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Reference Centres to handle SGBV related cases and cater for the survivors.

The association also charged the government to strengthen the Primary Health Care system to check the rate of mother and infant mortality.

NAN reports that the new rate is the highest the nation has recorded since January 2017.

The NBS said Friday that the rate is 0.84 per cent points higher compared to the rate recorded in June 2021, which is 17.75 per cent.

“This means that the headline inflation rate increased in the month of June 2022 when compared to the same month in the previous year (i.e., June 2021),” the NBS said in its report.

On a month-on-month basis, the headline inflation rate increased to 1.82 per cent in June 2022, which is 0.03 per cent higher than the rate recorded in May 2022 (1.78 per cent).

It added that the composite food index rose to 20.60 per cent in June 2022 on a year-on-year basis.  (NAN)

A.I

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