Renowned lawyer and activist Femi Falana has urged the government at all levels to invest in promoting entrepreneurship, particularly for women and youths.

“If the government support entrepreneurs, create an enabling environment and give them funding, the problem of poverty and inequality in the society would be addressed,” Mr Falana said in an interview on Friday.

Mr Falana explained that this was important because most Nigerian women invest and trade legitimately and can help build the nation just as they build their homes.

“When the government had Peoples’ Bank in the past, the record of success was immense because most of those who took loans were women.

“Hence, the reason we went to court to demand that the Peoples Bank should be reintroduced, and we are still pursuing that,” the lawyer said.

According to him, women, youths and entrepreneurs are ready to contribute their quotas to the economy’s success but are presently neglected.

The legal luminary noted that the new government has much to do because a few people have diverted the bulk of the funds earmarked to promote entrepreneurship in the country.

Mr Falana advised the government to address that by ensuring that funding could get to the right people that would contribute to the development of our nation.

The legal luminary charged Nigerian women to rise and demand their right of 35 per cent representation in government, in line with the laid down legal framework.

“Women will have to demand their rights, and there are legal frameworks available for them to do so.

“If there is a judgment that says 35 per cent of all positions should be occupied by women. Let’s start with that, and the sky will be the limit.

“Presently, women and girls at home and abroad are doing wonderfully well in every sector, just as a girl was accused of forgery in JAMB, another girl eventually emerged as the highest scorer in the examination,” Mr Falana stated.

(NAN)