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The Senate is set to create more jobs for women, following the second reading of a Bill being sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central).

A Bill for an Act to amend the Labour Act CAP L1 LFN 2004 and for other matters connected therewith 2012,” seeks to amend the Labour Act CAP L1 LFN 2004, which empowers the Minister of Labour to restrict women from taking up certain appointments.

Section 57 of the Labour Act 2004 empowers the Minister of Labour to “make regulations prohibiting or restricting, subject to conditions as may be specified in the regulations, the employment of women in any particular type or types of industrial or other undertakings or in any process or work carried on by such undertakings.”

In her lead debate, Senator Tinubu said that it may be argued that the legal provision is meant to protect women.

She, however, pointed out that “It appears that in modern times, the intention may be counter-productive as it does not match up to modern realities.”

The Lagos Central lawmaker said leaving such discretionary powers in the hands of a minister would reduce the chance of providing job opportunities for women.

Senator Tinubu said: “Since Independence, girl -child education in Nigeria has improved tremendously. In some states of the federation, girl -child education is almost at par with that of their male counterparts.

“An MDG report on countdown strategy 2010 to 2015 states that ‘education wise, a nine to 10 girl to boy child education has been achieved in Nigeria.’

“However, despite this achievement, there is a gap between the male and female in terms of economic and political achievements as there has been no conscious legislation to avail the girl-child this opportunity despite having gone through the rigours of education’’.

She went on:“Without the amendment, we will be unwittingly fostering the reduction of opportunities for women’s participation in the economy.

“It leaves the prospect of employment of the girl child who is the woman of tomorrow to the sole discretion of the Minister who may exercise his power arbitrarily to the detriment of women.

“In modern times , we face the challenge of unemployment, leaving such powers to the Minister may gradually reduce the chance of providing opportunities for women.

“We should strive to consciously create opportunities so that women can influence things positively in their chosen professions.

“Furthermore, by supporting this amendment, we will be whittling down labour market discrimination that exacerbates poverty among women.”

Many senators noted that women are matured enough to decide which job is fit for them or not.

Senate President David Mark said since the women are against the provision which originally was intended to protect them, it should be amended.

He said: “I think the Bill has addressed a very genuine section in Labour Act.

“The intention of putting it there obviously was not to discriminate.

“I think it was more to protect the women.

“But the women have also come up to say they don’t need that protection and I think there is no point in giving people something that they don’t want.

“I think that is the way I see it.

“I don’t want the womenfolk to see it as discriminatory.

“That certainly was not the intention because a lot of women were involved too in making this Act when moving the Bill to fruition.”

Senators who supported the Bill included Ganiyu Olarewaju Solomon, Sunny Ugboji, Chris Anyanwu, Smart Adeyemi, Edobor Uzamere, Helen Esuene, Ayogu Eze and Ikechi Nwogu.

They agreed that the Act is long overdue for amendment to create more job opportunities for women.

The Bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity for legislative work.

It is to be submitted to the in three weeks.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday warned the Kaduna State Government that the December local government election in the state may not hold, if the government continues to sideline the duly-constituted state executive of the party in favour of the state-sponsored “faction”.

In a statement in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN said as a law-abiding party, it has resolved to ask the courts to stop the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KASIEC) from conducting the poll on grounds of exclusion.

The party noted that although the state government was officially notified, through a letter jointly signed by its National Chairman and National Secretary, of the removal of Barrister Soba as its state chairman, the government, especially the KASIEC, has continued to deal only with a rogue “faction” of the party in the state in a blatant disregard for the relevant laws.

It described this as an act of illegality, adding that this reached a “most absurd and provocative level last week” when KASIEC handed over materials and documents for the December council poll to “Soba and, by so doing, chose to unnecessarily overheat an already heated polity”.

The statement added: “It is trite law that whenever there are two or more contending factions of a political party in any state, it is only the national secretariat of the party in question that can conclusively pronounce on the legitimate one. If the Kaduna State Government is not the unseen hand behind the factionalisation and destabilisation of the party in the state, why has the government – in spite of the letter from the national secretariat (of the ACN) clarifying the situation – continued to deal with Soba, who has been removed as chairman the party in the state?

“While appealing to our supporters in Kaduna State to remain calm and law-abiding in the face of this provocative illegality, we also call on the Kaduna State Government to immediately retrace its steps by dealing only with the recognised executive of the ACN in the state. Otherwise, its planned December council poll will never take place.”

Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday said all Specialist and General Hospitals in the state would be renovated and during the commencement of the second phase of his town hall meetings with the people.

The meeting was aimed at getting feedbacks from the people on how well their requests in last year’s meeting had been met and getting their inputs in the proposed 2013 budget.

Fayemi, who met with people from Oye and Ikole local government areas yesterday, is expected to end the meeting with all towns in the 16 local government areas next Tuesday. The tour took the Governor to Oye, Ilupeju, Ikole, Ijesha Isu and Oke Ayedun.

The governor said the upgrading of all health facilities in the state would be included in the 2013 Budget.

He said the primary health centres had been catered for but the government needed to closely monitor the health workers to ensure effective service delivery.

He said his administration had done virtually all that the people requested last year, especially in the area of infrastructure.

Fayemi said at least one project had been completed or was ongoing in every community in the state.

He said another round of construction of 5km roads in every local government area would begin in January and as some of the on going ones would be completed in December.

Fayemi said the vision of his administration is to make all parts of the state accessible by road by 2014.

He said the rebuilding of the Ilupeju-Ire-Igbemo Road would start next month, so that it can open up the resuscitated Ire Burnt Bricks Industry in Ire Ekiti to business activities.

Fayemi said when the industry begins full operation in November, it would create jobs and boost trade in the area.

He said his administration’s achievements are not extra-ordinary, but things expected of a responsible and responsive government.

The governor said five water treatment plants would be inaugurated during the celebration of his second year in office.

He said it would ensure water supply in communities that have not had potable water for decades.

Fayemi said two reservoirs would be constructed in Ilupeju and Ire Ekiti and new pipes would be installed to replace the old damaged ones.

He said communities supplied water by Ero Dam would begin to enjoy water again before the week ends, adding that the government had fixed the high lift pump that got damaged at the dam.

The people showered encomiums on the governor for fulfilling his campaign promises.

Pa Odetola Dada (92) thanked him for the social security scheme for the aged, which remains the first in Nigeria.

Orisunmibare community in Itapa Ekiti urged the governor to connect them to the national power grid.

A major highlights of the tour was the massive defection of hundreds of members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oke Ayedun and Oye towns. they were received to the ACN fold by the ACN Ekiti State chairman, High Chief Jide Awe.

The Oyo State House of Assembly has praised Governor Abiola Ajimobi on the reinstatement of 1,449 of the 3,000 sacked workers.

At plenary yesterday, Speaker Monsurat Sunmonu said the recall is a step in the right direction.

She said it has proved to the public that the governor is committed to the people’s welfare.

The speaker said Ajimobi has proved himself a visionary and compassionate leader.

Mr. Yisau Adesope-Azeez (Orelope Constituency) blamed Captain Consulting, the consultancy firm engaged by the former administration to verify the credentials of workers, for misleading the state government.

Asocio-political group, the Asiwaju Leadership Forum, also hailed the governor’s decision.

In a statement by its Publicity Director, Mr. Sikiru Akinola, the group said the reinstatement has proved that Ajimobi is a people’s governor.

It said: “With the reinstatement of 1,499 workers and the sack of the others, who were found wanting, the state is on its way towards restoration, after many years of the locust, who milked the state treasury to a comma with their umbrella.”

The Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Awka, the Anambra State capital, yesterday declared Senator Andy Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) winner of the March 20 National Assembly rerun.

Chuma Nzeribe, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), had petitioned the tribunal on the grounds that there were anomalies in the results from Uga, in Aguata Local Government Area; Uri, Osumenyi and Ihiala.

He said the rerun was invalid because of alleged corrupt practices, falsification, inducement, over-voting and non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010, in those places.

But the tribunal chairman, Justice G. K. Kaigama, dismissed the petition for lacking in merit.

Nzeribe also faulted the Independent National Electoral Election (INEC) for declaring Uba winner of the rerun.

The tribunal resolved the two issues against the petitioner and awarded a N50,000 cost on each to the three respondents.

Counsel to Nzeribe, Okwy Ejezie said the petitioner would appeal the judgment.

Ejezie said the lower tribunal had failed to address various issues they raised during the trial, adding that the verdict has made the case easier for an appeal.

A group, Anambra State Movement for the Mandate of Andy Uba, led by Vin Paul Okafor, described the judgment as well deserved.

Addressing reporters yesterday in Awka, the state capital, Okafor said the judgment showed that the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man.