Women group applauds Gov. Abdulrazaq for mainstreaming gender-balance in cabinet
The Nigerian Women Group (NWG), a socio-political forum, has commended Kwara State’s Governor, Alh. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, for nominating nine ‘illustrious, charismatic and competent women’ for commissionership positions in his soon-to-be formed cabinet.
In a press statement signed by Mrs. Ebere Ifendu, Mufuliat Fijabi and Toun Okewale Sonaiya, on behalf of the group, NWG considered the nomination of nine females as commissioners-designate by Gov. Abdulrazaq as a great achievement not only for the people of Kwara, but for Nigerians, in general.
The women said: “No doubt this is a historical moment. We congratulate our new women-commissioners in Kwara. And we are urging them to strive for excellence in their respective endeavours, particularly in the delivery of their assignments.”
The group said the announcement of five more women to the initial four commissioner-nominees, whose names were forwarded to the Kwara State House of Assembly lawmakers for confirmation, now takes the proportion of women in the incoming cabinet of Gov. Abdulrazaq to 56 percent.
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“It is a demonstration of the will to fast-track the deepening of democracy in Nigeria, and to close the gender gap in order to achieve the much required and desired development. The political will of the governor is an acknowledgment of the need for the experiences and expertise of women and men working together in the development of the state and the country,” they said.
NWG, while commending the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Kwara State, called on other states’ sovernors to also demonstrate their commitment to fast-tracking the development of their states by mainstreaming gender in their administration.
“We are proud that from the state level, Nigerian women can now smile. For sure, all the international conventions signed by the Federal Government on gender, such as the ‘Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against women’ (CEDAW), the ‘International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights’ (ICCPR), the Beijing Platform for Action and Regional Optional Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, as well as, the Nigerian National Gender Policy, can fully be implemented,” the women group said.
