FORMER HOUSE OF REPS ASPIRANT SEEKS GREATER ROLE FOR WOMEN IN GOVERNANCE

A member of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State, Fatima Okunnuga, has urged female lawmakers in Nigeria to promote bills that will encourage women empowerment and gender equality.
Ms. Okunnuga, a former candidate for the House of Representatives, said there should be government policies to provide for young graduates and school leavers.
Ms. Okunnuga said after 50 years of independence, Nigeria should have specific policies and legislations to cater for the welfare of women.
She said it was disturbing that there were only seven female senators and 20 female House of Representatives members out of the 109 and 360-member Upper and the Lower Houses respectively.

“This number, so insignificant on the floors of both Houses, will therefore require a lot of additional support and lobbying from the male members as well as their spouses to formulate policies that will address the plight of the Nigerian women,” Ms. Okunnuga said.
“Though Beijing Conference of 1995 recommended 35% allocation for women in political positions, power and decision making, that has not been the case in Nigeria where women can barely boast of 6 percent. The minimal rise in gender participation in the country has only been attached to appointive positions, ” she stated.
Ms. Okunnuga urged Nigerian women to take a cue from Rwanda where women make up 49% of the national parliament.
She expressed belief that President Muhammadu Buhari will implement the APC manifesto especially the ones concerning women participation in governance.
She appealed to the wife of the president, Aisha Buhari, and wife of the vice-president, Dolapo Osinbajo, to rally the wives of all state governors and local government chairmen to ensure women are well represented.