The First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, and some stakeholders have called for more strategies and investment in accelerating women's progress for the development of the country. They made the call at the 2024 Biennial Convention organised by the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) on Thursday in Abuja. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the convention has 'Invest in Women: Accelerate Progress' as its theme. Represented by Mrs Chioma Hope-Uzodinma, wife of Imo Governor, the first lady said the convention was a call to action as it underscores the vital role women play in driving progress and developments in the society. She explained it was also an opportunity to look inwards, discuss and strategise on ways to further advance the goals of women in the country. She added that 'when we invest in women, we invest in the future of our nation. When women are given the right opportunities, they contribute effectively to economic growth, social stability and sustainable development. 'I, therefore , call on the private sector, development partners and individuals to support what government is doing and we redouble efforts in investing in women. 'As women and mothers, we must continue to preach peace, unity, love and prosperity. We must pray for our nation and encourage our children to be law abiding. 'Women must also strongly resolve to work together to support and help one another.' The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, urged women to participate in government programmes aimed at alleviating poverty and improving their economic status. Kennedy-Ohanenye said the newly inaugurated E-market portal would unlock market barriers and enable Nigerian women to access more funding opportunities and empowerment initiatives to raise their standard. On her part, the National President of NCWS, Mrs Lami Adamu-Lau, said 'the convention is to highlight the council's contributions toward the advancement of women's rights in Nigeria and to emphasise the need for more investment in women. 'Women stand as pillars of strength, resilience, and innovation, yet they continue to face barriers that hinder their progress. 'This is why it is imperative that we invest in women, their education, their health, their economic empowerment, and their leadership.' Also, Mrs Pauline Tallen, former Minister of Women Affairs, said 'the surest way for Nigeria to get it right is by investing more in women because women nurture the family and every development starts from the home. 'If we have better families, we will have better societies, communities and a better nation,' she said. Dr Goodness Chidi, the Programme Manager, Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), also stressed the need to invest in women to achieve optimal nutrition security for citizens. Former NCWS National President, Mrs Ekemi Okemini, urged the government to implement the 35 per cent affirmative action to enable women to participate in both elective and appointed government positions. NAN reports that other events of the day we re the conferment of awards to 30 notable Nigerians for their support toward women's progress, addressing Gender Based Violence (GBV), among others. Some award recipients include the First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, Mr Boss Mustapha, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and some state governor's wives. Source: News Agency of Nigeria