The Plateau government has approved the bill to establish a gender commission, to facilitate the implementation of the Gender Equal Opportunity (GEO) Law in the state.

The approval was announced by the commissioner for justice, Chrysanthus Ahmadu, at a press conference at the end of the state’s executive council meeting on Wednesday in Jos.

He said the commission, critical as a prerequisite for the smooth implementation of the GEO law, would consolidate efforts to end inequality and discrimination against women in all spheres of life.

The commissioner disclosed that the council also approved a bill to establish the Plateau State Investment Promotion Agency (PSIPA) to boost the state’s economy.

Mr Ahmadu explained that the agency would incorporate the one-stop investment centre and the state’s public-private partnership agency to improve its business environment further and attract investment.

The justice commissioner further mentioned that the council approved the Plateau State Agricultural Policy and Implementation Plan 2022-2027 and a bill to establish Rural Access Road Agency and State Road fund.

Explaining further, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hosea Finangwai, said Plateau is among the 13 states in the country benefiting from a World Bank project to address the difficulties farmers experience in conveying their goods and services.

Mr Finangwai said the intervention under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP3) would address the challenges essential agencies experience in transferring innovation to rural farmers for improved agricultural products and services.

“The essence of this bill is to ensure we create a mechanism for sustainability of the project by taking social amenities to the doorsteps of our farmers,” stated Mr Finangwai. “This is aimed at improving the economy, improving their livelihood, increasing their income, and generating revenue for the state government.”

(NAN)