The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Women group

  • Women group defends Zakari

    A CIVIL society organisation, Proactive Gender Initiatives (PGI), has described the allegations against Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC’s) National Commissioner, Hajia Amina Zakari, as gender-related violence against women.

    PGI’s National Coordinator Mrs. Esther Uzoma made the remark yesterday in a telephone chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    Some opposition parties and groups had kicked against Mrs. Zakari as chairperson of its National Collation Centre for the forthcoming elections, arguing that the national commissioner was President Muhammadu Buhari’s niece.

    Mrs. Zakari dismissed the argument as unfounded at the weekend in an interview with the BBC Igbo. Reacting, Mrs. Uzoma, who is also the alternate chairperson, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, said nobody believed that a woman could rise to such position by her own merit.

    She said since the national commissioner had not been found wanting in her responsibility in INEC before, there was basis for such allegations.

    He said: “I also strongly believe that all these people raising allegations against her are doing so because she is a woman.

    “It is one of the gender-biased violence. Nobody believes that a woman can rise on her own, by her own merit to that position.

    “Has she been accused of any crime at all, all the years she has spent in INEC? Is she under any form of administrative investigation?

    “So, I feel strongly that institution of INEC is bigger than any single individual,” she said.

    Mrs. Uzoma, who had served as local and international election observer, said the allegations against Mrs. Zakari had just gone to show that many Nigerians were yet to understand how INEC works.

    She said: “The assumption that one single person can truncate or rig this election, the assumption that she is so powerful to rig 2019 election in favour of one candidate underlines our gross ignorance of the workings of INEC.

    “No, it cannot happen; she doesn’t have that power. The way INEC is structured, no single person can do that.

    “The way the system runs, no individual can do that. It cannot happen because I have had the opportunity to interface with that institution strongly. That is my take.” she said.

    Also yesterday, former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose, described Mrs. Zakari as moral burden on the Presidency and INEC.

    Fayose described the outcry over Mrs Zakari’s appointment as a moral burden on the President, his APC party and the electoral commission.

    He said the justification of the appointment by the Presidency and INEC showed desperation to rig the February 16 presidential election.

    Reacting to the controversies that have trailed the appointment in a statement yesterday by his media aide, Lere Olayinka, the former governor said: “A president, who took oath of office that he would be equitable and fair to all, must be seen to be acting in accordance with this oath and the moment issues like this are raised, it is not for INEC and the Presidency to be rigid and act as if they don’t care.”

    He described the Presidency’s defence that Amina Zakari was appointed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government as puerile and unacceptable.

    The former governor that Mrs. Zakari was appointed at a time the President was not running for President on the platform of any party.

    “Now that he is candidate and also a sitting  President, fairness and equity demand she should step aside from playing any role in this election,” Fayose said in the statement, adding: “Certain things can be good, but might not be morally right.

  • Women group decry Plateau killings

    The Women and Youths Support Group (WAYS) for Atiku 2019 has decried the Plateau massacre and the Otedola bridge explosion in Lagos, describing it as painful.

    The National President/Global coordinator, Princess Kemi Adesanya-Eboda, commiserated with the bereaved families and called on the government to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

    She hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for visiting Plateau State to assess the situation himself and called for an overhauling of the country’s security apparatus.

    Princess Adesanya-Eboda hailed the Lagos State Police Command; Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC); National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA); Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASAMA) and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) for their gallantry in containing the fire.

    She lamented the escalating clashes between herdsmen and farmers, and opined that the only solution is for Nigerians is to get their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and support the Presidential bid of Atiku Abubakar for the 2019 presidential election.

  • Women group seeks more political representation in South-West

    Ahead of 2019 general elections, leaders of Civil Society Organisations and female politicians and professionals have called on South-West political leaders to support the women folk in the next general elections. They also called for an improvement in the number of women in the National Assembly from the geo-political zone.
    Speaking at a strategic meeting of the women’s platform for gender equality in Lagos State, organised by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC), the CSO leaders and female politicians implored political parties to give more slots to women in future elections.
    In her address, the Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), South-West, Chief Kemi Nelson, said, “The South-West region is under represented in the National Assembly in terms of women’s representation compared to the number of female lawmakers in other geo-political zones.”
    Dr. Keziah Awosika said, “in the south-west, politics is seen as a battle field where women do not have a stalk unlike other regions in the country. We should ensure that our voices are always heard and not relegated to the background.”
    The founding Director, WARDC, Dr. Abiola Afolabi-Akiyode, urged civil society groups and female politicians to work in harmony to increase women participation in politics.
    Chairperson of at the strategic meeting, Ms. Yemisi Ransome-Kuti, said, “Women should begin to see themselves as partners, be actively involved in developing and impacting on society while partnering to improve our political drive.”

  • Firm empowers women group in Rivers

    In a bid to empower women’s to contribution to the economic growth of the country especially at this recession period, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has distributed deep freezers, generators and grinding machines to different women groups in Rivers State.

    While presenting the equipment to the women in Port Harcourt this weekend, the Acting Managing Director of NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, said that preference is given to women because they form the bedrock of families and constitute a very important segment of the society.

    Semenitari who was represented by the NDDC’s Director for Rivers State Office, Mr. Benson Udo-Asubop also said that the equipment would assist them in setting up gainful economic ventures which is in line with the commission’s mandate of empowering the people of the region to enhance the quality of their lives.

    Responding, the leader of Oroworokwo Women Group, Mrs. Gladys Ibe, thanked  the NDDC for giving them the tools with which to earn a decent living and take care of their families.

     

  • Women group honours Obioma Imoke at 50

    Women group honours Obioma Imoke at 50

    Friends of Mrs. Obioma Liyel Imoke, wife of the governor of Cross River State have organized a birthday party in Calabar, to commemorate her golden jubilee.

    Born January 3, 1963, Mrs. Imoke who is currently in the United State of America with the husband, was honoured in a colourful birthday bash attended by friends and well-wishers of the family in recognition of her laudable contributions to the development of the state.

    Speaking on behalf of the friends, Mr. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, disclosed that the group decided to honour Obioma, though in absentia, because she is a virtuous woman, a compendium of every good thing whose life has impacted positively on Cross Riverians in so many ways through her various pet projects.

    He pointed out that in the last five years as the wife of the governor, Obioma has dedicated her life by joining her husband to take governance to those who need it most, as can be attested to by some of her lofty initiatives under the auspices of Partnership Opportunity for Women Economic Realization (POWER) to improve and protect lives of vulnerable women and children.

    The State President, National Council of Women Society, Rev (Mrs.) Grace Ekanem, who also extolled Mrs. Imoke, said that her presence in the state has given the group its desired recognition that hitherto did not exist and placed her as the best patron it has ever had.

    Rev Ekanem maintained that just as her name implies, “Obioma, the full heart”, she is admirable, caring and understanding, whose humanitarian works have brought life to many, irrespective of their backgrounds, virtues that attracted members of the society to join other well-wishers in celebrating the quintessential woman leader.

    A commissioner in the Local Government Service Commission, Pastor (Mrs.) Eno Oqua, who described her as a strong advocate of women and children rights which culminated in the early passage of Child Right Act in the state, among other laudable initiatives, said they have attracted commendations and awards, notable among which is Africa’s Most Impactful First Lady Award, Humanitarian Award for the year 2011 by the Safari Group and Munjeres Entre Mundos Award in recognition of her hospitality in hosting volunteers from Spain in 2011.

    She described Obioma as a woman with a golden heart, who does not believe that orphanages are the best places for abandoned children but picks them up and takes them to her home and nurtures them through a very transparent and organized legal system at no cost to the beneficiaries.

    She maintained that teenage pregnant girls who have been rejected and thrown out of their homes, hasve been fostered and taken to safe haven known as the Refuge where they are catered for, counseled against vices, and taught some skills to help.

    On his part, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Mr. Patrick Ugbe, who described her as “the Mother Theresa” of our time, said she has devoted her time and life for the uplift and growth of the less privileged in the society and wished her more fruitful years of selfless service.

  • Women group sponsors 11 girls

    A group, Women in Technical Education and Employment (WITED) Abia State Polytechnic Chapter, plans to sponsor secondary school girls from indigent backgrounds up to tertiary level.

    Already, the group has selected 11 pupils in science class in public girls’ secondary schools in Aba Zone it would register for the 2012/2013 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), five of whom would also be registered for the 2013 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

    Co-ordinator of the group, Nnenna Uka, said at the grand finale of the 2012 WITED Week, held at the Abia State Polytechnic, explained that the organisation instituted the programme to improve female participation in science and technology education.

    She added that the group organises academic programmes to encourage young females in secondary schools to improve in their academics as well as exposing them to literary competitions.

    “The primary objective of WITED is to identify the factors that fight against female participation in mathematics, science-based and technical education programmes, while our long term objective is to enhance the participation of girl-child and women in such programmes at all levels,” she said.

    To encourage academic excellence among the female students of the Polytechnic, Ms Uka said WITED instituted a cash award to the best graduating female students at National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) levels in 2011.

    At the event, Rector of the polytechnic, Elder Allwell Onukaogu offered scholarship to the senior prefect of Ovom Girls Secondary School, Aba, on behalf of his wife, in support of WITED agenda.