Wife the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari arrived Abuja Sunday from New York after attending the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly alongside President Muhammadu Buhari.
While in New York, Mrs. Buhari addressed the General Assembly’s High Level Meeting on Tuberculosis, where she raised issues of increased political commitment, funding and robust partnerships. She also attended a Gala Dinner organized to celebrate Global TB Champions, Celebrities and TB Survivors, where she praised the courage of survivors and called on celebrities to do more in creating awareness on TB.
“Every one of us must raise our collective voices and together drive the global action that will save the lives of millions of people. We ask for your support, your voice, your charm, your heart and a bit of your time to make this happen.” She said.
Mrs. Buhari attended the 21st Summit of Organization of African First Ladies against AIDS (OAFLA) General Assembly where she spoke on the success story of her programme, Future Assured, in the area of partnership.
“I was able to bring together different stakeholders including wives of the 36 states governors in Nigeria, the private sector groups and galvanized their efforts towards achieving the desired objectives of transforming our societies by focusing on the health and wellbeing of women children and adolescents.”
On the Sidelines of OAFLA, Mrs. Buhari attended a number of high level events including a Stakeholders Meeting on Breast and Cervical Cancers in Africa and another on HIV as well as a strategic planning workshop for First Ladies and their Technical Advisers.
Mrs. Buhari was honoured with Distinguished Global Award for Excellence in Women Empowerment and Gender Development by Global Empowerment Movement (GEM). A plaque was presented to her by the President of GEM, Dr. Queen Blessing Itua, who in the citation said she was awarded for her relentless efforts at fighting gender-based victimization, human trafficking and uplifting womenfolk in Nigeria. At the event to witness the honour were the First Ladies of Burkina Faso, Niger and Gambia, wives of Governors and government officials including the Minister of Health.
She also received a letter of honourary citizenship of the State of Georgia signed by the Secretary of State of the State of Georgia, Brian P. Kemp.