WOMEN’S HEALTH TOP PRIORITY ON FCTA AGENDA- WOMEN AFFAIRS SECRETARY
By: Kemi Adeyemi
The Mandate Secretary, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi has described women’s health as a top priority and a corner stone of the current FCT Administration.
The Mandate Secretary stated this in her keynote address at the 2025 Women’s Health and Advocacy Programme themed “Bridging Awareness Gaps on Breast and Cervical Cancer Among Local Women’ organised recently by the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat in partnership with Julius Berger Services Nigeria and Family Peace and Women Empowerment Initiative (FAPWEI), in Abuja.
Dr. Benjamins-Laniyi stressed that women’s health is a development priority under the administration of the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike.
While declaring that every woman’s life matters , including those with disabilities, the elderly, the girl child, and even the baby in the womb, Adedayo added that breast and cervical cancers remain among the leading causes of death for women in Nigeria yet are highly preventable and treatable when detected early.
She stated that cancer is not just a local issue but a global scourge and reminded the gathering that men can also develop breast cancer.
“What kills women is not the disease itself, it is ignorance, late detection, stigma, silence, and lack of access to medical support”, the Secretary said.
She therefore said that the outreach marks only the beginning of a sustained campaign that will extend to all the six area councils, 62 wards, and hundreds of communities across the FCT, with increased access to free or low-cost screening services and continued public education.
“Ignorance is too expensive. Silence is too costly. Fear is too deadly. Today, we choose knowledge, early discovery, and life.”
In her remarks, , the Chief Risk and Sustainability Officer, Julius Berger Services Nigeria, Shakira Mustapha thanked the organisers for the invitation and reaffirmed the Company’s commitment to women’s health and community development.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Barrister Asmau Mukhtar, represented by Mr. Michael Dadip, Director of Administration and Human Resources, while declaring the event open commended Julius Berger for its consistent support.
Also, Speaking, Deputy Director, Women Department of the Secretariat, Aina Sani, urged women to look inwards and prioritise self-care. She celebrated the powerful collaboration between government, corporate Nigeria, and grassroots organisations.
“Today we are handing the pen to the lionesses so that every woman can write her own story of health and survival,” she said. The one-day event which aimed to educate and drive home the message that early detection saves lives, closed on a high note with the distribution of bags of rice to all participants as a form of appreciation and support
