Rural Development, Information and Legal Advocacy Centre (RUDILAC) says it has trained over 706 individuals on Ethics and record Management within the past three years by the non-profit Organization.

Aside building the capacity of the beneficiaries, the Civil advocacy group, has also actively participated in over 109 litigations involving public interest cases in both national and international courts.

Mr. President Agbokhai, Executive Director of RUDILAC disclosed this at a town hall meeting with women in Ologbo Dukedom, Orhionmwon Local Government Area of Edo State, as part of efforts to mark the International Day for Rural Women held annually on October 15th.

The programme was in collaboration with Freedom of Information Counsel (FoI) Counsel, featured a strategic assessment and mapping to ascertain the impact of rural women for socio-economic development in Ologbo Dukedom, comprising small Communities with higher number of oil wells in Nigeria.

Speaking on the essence of the programme, Edo State FOI Counsel, Mr. President Agbokhai, said women as primary caregivers — families and Communities, need support in in order to provide food and nutrition and function successfully as the human link between the farm and the table.

Agbokhai who cited World Bank report, said women remain the backbone of rural economy, especially in developing Countries where they make up almost half of the world’s population of farmers.

According to him, the number of farms owned by women has continued to increase as a result of similar increase in women roles in households activities occasioned by migration and other social and cultural factors.

He emphasized that “Ologbo being an oil rich community in Edo State with 37 oil wells and hosting several multinational corporations like PRESCO, NNPC, Ossiomo Power station among others, but, there is no model school, health centre or other basic amenity, adding that there is no single woman farmer identified owing to the takeover of farmland by Multinational Corporations.

“This no doubt has huge impact on your earning and purchasing power. We will keep engaging the government until there is a participatory land acquisition model and economic empowerment of rural women”, Agbokhai stressed.

RUDILAC is a non-profit organization that promotes rural development, support low income individuals, Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) assist journalists to enforce their right to information.

TheNewspad reports that the programme, also featured questions and answer session by participants.

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