The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has called for continuous investment in Nigerian women to further promote the development of the country.
Akpabio, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, congratulated women, saying they deserved all the respect.
He also praised the resilient spirit of Nigerian women and appreciated their daily struggles, calling them a “full package and a special breed”.
According to him, the National Assembly would continue to advocate the improved welfare of Nigerian women to show their consciousness of the fact that any failure to invest in women would be similar to killing development and destroying the country.
He said, “Inspire inclusion was in tune with the thinking of the 10th Senate, which is working assiduously to enact laws that would increase girl-child enrolment in school, fight against sexual exploitation, and generally give what is due to the womenfolk.”
On her part, the wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, said Nigeria needed to invest in women now more than ever, adding that accelerating progress in any sphere required that women had to be more involved.
She also called on women to support their kind.
“Today, on International Women’s Day, I celebrate every woman; daughters, sisters, aunts, mothers, grandmothers, and also great-grandmothers, for your resilience, passion, and courage that brought us thus far.
“That is why I see investing in women, not as charity, but as a strategy to build the future of our dear nation, Nigeria. Equipping you with education, resources and opportunities to unleash your full potential, supporting your businesses, helping to dismantle economic barriers, and ensuring your voices are heard is a very crucial step.”
“Therefore, my question to all women is: What are you doing to help the other woman? How are you investing in her? Let us all come together, bond and love one another. This is the pathway to accelerated progress.
“I charge all women; just pull a sister up, one at a time. You will be amazed at what we can achieve collectively,” she added.
‘Break violence’s barrier’
Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, also in his goodwill message, hailed the extraordinary contributions of women to the development of the state, advocating more inclusion of women in decision making
Ododo, who acknowledged the challenges of violence and discrimination faced by women in the state, stressed that there was need to reflect on how the courage and determination of women around the world had shaped human progress in civil liberties.
The governor further disclosed the state government’s plan to raise the level of investment in women in every ramification, noting that the administration had demonstrated its commitment with the appointment of more women in the state executive council, increasing access to healthcare for women and children and ensuring a conducive environment for women to reach greater heights in their chosen careers.
He also commended the progress made towards gender equality, addressing gender-based violence and bridging gaps in opportunities for women in education, entrepreneurship, and political leadership in the state, saying “women play pivotal roles in the development of any individual, families, and the society. They are the bedrock of our communities, raising families, supporting community development initiatives, and driving economic growth.
“We must remember that despite the heights attained by women in education, medical sciences, sports entrepreneurship, and leadership, women still face violence and discrimination in several spheres of life. We must work hard to break down these barriers and ensure that all women, regardless of their background, have the chance to reach their full potential in our society.”
Enugu, Kogi, Gombe govs hail women
In Enugu State, Governor Peter Mbah stated that his administration would continue to support women through policy inclusion, empowerment, capacity building, and investment that would continue to drive the growth and progress of society.
Mbah, in a statement on Friday, commended women for their resilient and outstanding efforts towards ensuring that the moral rectitude of the society through family discipline remained upheld.
He added that women played vital roles in nation-building and development and their “achievements serve as the pillars of our families, models of resiliency, trailblazers, and visionaries.”
“Every day, their grace, courage, and knowledge inspire us,” the governor added.
In his goodwill message, Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya, stressed the readiness of his administration to create opportunities for women to actively participate in politics, governance, and community leadership, in the state.
Yahaya said women would hold important cabinet positions and play significant roles as aides and heads of agencies as part of his administration’s commitment to ensuring gender mainstreaming and engendering a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment for women in the state.
“This day provides a valuable opportunity to reflect on the strides we, as a government, have made towards creating an environment conducive for the girl-child to thrive with dignity and pursue their aspirations across all spheres of life.
“We realise that empowering women goes hand in hand with inclusivity. That is why we are dedicated to providing opportunities for them to actively participate in politics, governance, and community leadership.
“In my administration, women hold key cabinet positions and play significant roles as special advisers, board chairpersons, agency heads, and aides. We have also ensured political inclusion by granting women tickets for chairmanship and councilorship in all local governments under our great party, the APC. To the glory of Allah, they won, and their valuable contributions greatly influenced the implementation of our policies, ultimately enhancing the livelihoods of our people,” he added.
On his part, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development and Chairman of the African Minerals Strategy Group, Dr Dele Alake, affirmed the commitment of the African continent to equipping women with the requisite skills to participate actively in the mining sector value chain.
In his goodwill message at the International Women’s Day Forum 2024 organised by the Women Miners Association in Abuja, the minister, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori said, “We live in a world in which no one, no gender must be left behind. This is the logic of progressive transformation that we desire.
“The African Minerals Strategy Group is committed to empowering women with appropriate skills to enable them to participate in the mining sector value chain, from exploration and extraction to processing and commerce. We support access to technical training in mining for our young women, we support start-up financial assistance for women mining entrepreneurs, and we champion the inclusion of women in the leadership of regulatory agencies.”
‘Involve women in decision-making’
Meanwhile, the European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi, has said that the active participation of women at all levels of decision-making and politics was essential to the achievement of equality, sustainable development, peace, and democracy.
She added that there was an urgent need for political parties to review, and reform all founding and policy documents including parties’ constitutions and rules, manifestos, party rules, and procedures and strategy documents to incorporate national and international norms and obligations on gender equality.
Speaking during the Women in Parliament Summit organised in Abuja by the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria, Isopi noted that despite the active interventions from various women’s groups and stakeholders, the female representation in politics had continued to be on a steady decline.
Isopi said, “There has been no woman elected Governor in Nigeria’s 25 years of democracy and the percentage of women appointed to political positions still falls significantly short compared to men. I am not quoting these figures to make it seem impossible, but to show that it is indeed possible.”
However, the first lady of Edo State, Betsy Obaseki, has appealed to women to get the required knowledge that would make them valuable, compete, and complement the men in the country.
Obaseki, who spoke on Friday, said women should be inspired to reach for the top in their chosen careers and become part of the decision-making process in the country, adding that they should get involved in politics, and change the narratives.
She said, “The genders have their peculiar traits and none can take the place of the other. So women must know their value and place in society. Don’t allow anyone to put you down.
“Give your best by building capacity so that you can be qualified to fill certain positions in society. We need to acquire knowledge so that we can add value to whatever job you do.”
Similarly, the wife of Anambra State Governor, Dr Nonye Soludo, advocated more empowerment and opportunities for women to thrive in their careers and businesses.
Soludo stated that empowering women was far beyond social safety and interim interventions, adding that education was key in driving women’s development across the divide.
Speaking in Awka, the state capital on Friday, she said being a woman symbolised uniqueness, immeasurable strength, resilience, and great dreams, adding that there was the need to get rid of certain socio-cultural, religious, and economic obstacles facing most women, “especially those residing in rural communities”.
Also, the Commissioner for Health in Osun State, Jola Akintola, on Friday praised women for the invaluable roles they play in society, saying that the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke specifically included cervical and breast cancer screenings in the Imole Free Medical Outreach programme of the government as part of its efforts to protecting women’s health.
He said, “I want to emphasize the significance of International Women’s Day which is celebrated on March 8 every year as a global platform to empower women and uphold gender equality. The celebration is relevant to creating an inclusive environment where women can access comprehensive reproductive healthcare services.”
In the spirit of celebrating International Women’s Day in the state, the Nasarawa State chapter of the Police Women’s Association also distributed food items including bags of rice and cartons of spaghetti to 37 underprivileged members of the association. The Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu Nadada, presented the food items to the women at the POWA’s head office in Lafia, the state capital.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Finance and Administration, Richard Gara, who represented the Commissioner of Police, Umar Nadada, explained that the gesture was to cushion the effect of the economic hardship in the country.
Men have failed, says PDP chair
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, said men have let down the current generation, expressing his desire for a woman to be the next President of Nigeria.
Damagum, who was represented by the PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, made this statement during the PDP International Women’s Day 2024 celebration at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja on Friday.
The PDP National Chairman said, “The significance of mothers and the role of women cannot be overstated. Let me be sincere with you, I pray and hope that, even if not in our generation, one day a woman will become the president of this country. I say this with utmost sincerity and from the depth of my heart because I believe that the men have failed this generation.
“In politics, that’s why the founding fathers of PDP recognise the importance of women. Today, in Nigeria, no matter how you look at it, PDP is the most democratic party in Nigeria and Africa. It’s the only party that provides women with the opportunity to aspire to any position without having to buy any form. We do this to encourage women.”
In her earlier comments, the PDP National Woman Leader, Amina Divine Arong, emphasised that achieving gender equality in political participation and leadership was essential for reaching sustainable development goals by 2030.
She stated, “The importance of having women in leadership positions cannot be overemphasized as results have shown clearly that companies and organisations led by women seem to have fared better than their counterparts during times of financial crisis. Having women as leaders and decision-makers at all levels is critical to advancing gender justice, and gender equality and furthers economic, social, and political progress for all.
“While it is important that we continue to advocate for the active participation of women in politics in Nigeria, it is also very key that we imbibe the culture of actively supporting women and girls into leadership positions as well as involve them in decision-making processes.”
