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Constitution Review: Women Empowerment Necessary, Strategic For Economic Growth – Speaker Abbas

Published

6 months ago

October 28, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

…as First Lady say Nigerian women struggling to find their place in governance, politics

By Gloria Ikibah

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abbas Tajudeen, has said that the demand for increased representation of women is not a luxury but a necessity.

The Speaker stated this while giving his keynote address at the International Legislative Dialogue on Women and the Constitution Amendment Process in Nigeria, which was organised by the House Committee on Constitution Review with support from the Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC) and funded by the European Union in Abuja on Monday.

Abbas who urged everyone to dismantle institutional barriers, stressed the need to empower women, noting that it is a necessary, and strategic move for economic growth.

According to him, it is disheartening that females are low in numbers at the National Assembly, even as he noted that the dialogue was not for rhetoric but to establish a clear and actionable path toward meaningful reform.

He said: “Today represents a meaningful step forward in our collective commitment to inclusive governance and national progress.

“Our goal is to ensure that Nigerian women, an essential part of our nation’s social and economic fabric, secure their rightful place within our governance framework. Empowering women is not only a moral and democratic imperative but also a strategic economic necessity.”

The Speaker said that researches from global institutions, like the United Nations, World Economic Forum, reveals that organisations and countries benefit from better decision-making, stronger economic growth, and enhanced social well-being when women hold leadership roles.

“Women bring unique perspectives influencing vital issues, from healthcare to economic policy, creating legislation that resonates with millions. McKinsey estimates that closing gender gaps could add $12 trillion to the global GDP by 2025, underscoring the immense untapped potential of women’s inclusion. Thus, increased representation of women is not a luxury but a necessity for sustainable national development and stability.

“Around the world, and particularly in Africa, we see encouraging examples of gender inclusion. Rwanda, with over 60 percent women representation in its parliament, has shown us that robust, intentional policies work. South Africa, Namibia, and Senegal have all taken significant strides toward inclusivity, reshaping their political landscapes in ways Nigeria can learn from. These countries have demonstrated the profound impact of women’s perspectives on governance and development.

“For Nigeria, the current numbers are disheartening. Since 1999, women’s representation in our National Assembly has remained disappointingly low. Despite notable contributions from Nigerian women across various sectors, only 20 of the 469 seats in our National Assembly are occupied by women. This stark gap speaks not of a lack of capable women, but of institutional barriers we must dismantle.”

He emphasised that some see increased women’s representation as a threat to the status quo, and noted that “inclusion is not displacement—it is partnership.”

Abbas added that the presence of women complements the contributions of men, enriching the policymaking process.

“If we trust women to shape our homes, nurture our families, and educate our children, we must trust them to contribute to shaping our nation’s future,” he stressed.

He pointing out that affirmative action policies to increase women’s representation are not undemocratic, on the contrary are deeply aligned with democratic principles.

“As lawmakers, we are responsible for advancing policies that reflect the values of fairness and equity. I am proud to state that this 10th House has prioritised inclusivity in our Legislative Agenda. I have directed the Constitution Review Committee to focus on reforms that promote gender equity and provide additional or reserved seats for women in our legislative bodies.

“We must work towards joint ticketing in elections, reserved seats, and conferring equal citizenship rights to foreigners married to Nigerian women. However, reform is a collective responsibility, and we cannot simply issue communiqués or promises. We must translate today’s dialogue into real, actionable outcomes.”

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu in her remarks decried that, Nigerian women are still battling to get their place in politics and governance as a result of sustained policies that put them at a disadvantage.

Senator Tinubu who was represented by First Lady of Kwara State, Prof. Olufolake Abdulrazaq, who is also the Chairperson, Nigeria Governors Spouses Forum, said, while some gains have been made, it was however disheartening that, in the National Assembly only few women were elected into its two chambers.

She lamented that, while women contribute a lot in the electoral process, their participation is being curtailed as they are denied equal participation in governance and politics.

According to her, progress has been slow in having sustainable process that fast track women participation through robust, wider policies for the girl child and educated, intelligent and potential women leaders in the country.

The First Lady said, there are many things that Nigeria needs to work on especially some socio-cultural inhibitions limiting national growth through women exclusion.

She therefore noted that, there is need for more to gender responsive policies and legislations that will encourage women participation and affirmative initiatives.

Earlier in his opening remarks, Deputy Speaker and Chairman, House Committee on Constitution Amendment, Benjamin Kalu said that, as Nigeria confront the realities that restrict women’s political participation, it is essential to understand the scale and urgency of the issue.

He said, “Data from the recent 2023 general elections highlights the scope of this challenge: 18 political parties fielded a staggering 15,307 candidates.

“However, of these candidates, only 1,552 were women. This sharp contrast is not just a statistic; it is a stark reminder of the societal, structural, and political barriers that continue to inhibit women’s full participation in our democracy.

“Indeed, inclusive governance is not merely an equity issue; it is a strategic imperative. Countries that have successfully integrated women into decision-making roles experience gains in innovation, collaboration across sectors, and, notably, economic growth”.

News

Guinea Woos Nigerian Investors to Join $20bn Projects

Published

2 hours ago

April 15, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria IkibahGuinea’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Siaka Cissoko, has said that his country has ongoing projects worth about $20 billion, and Nigerian companies are welcome to take part.He shared this during a visit by members of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN) to the Guinean Embassy in Abuja.Cissoko spoke about the long-standing ties between Nigeria and Guinea, and said it was time both countries did more together, especially in business.He also pointed out that many Guinean businesspeople tend to overlook Nigeria when looking for partners, and he hopes that will change going forward.

He said: “As I speak to you, there is an ongoing mega multibillion-dollar project in Guinea, about $20bn that could be handled by Nigerian companies.

“I know, with this new partnership, Nigerians will be aware of the projects and key into it.”

“Our businessmen always go to India, Pakistan, and other Asian countries to look for $5m to $10m business opportunities that could be gotten in Nigeria because they don’t have comprehensive information,” he said.

He emphasised the need to deepen ties between Guinea and Nigeria by working closely with the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria.

According to the ambassador, the association can play a key role in helping people from both countries understand each other better. He also pointed out that Nigerian banks like Access Bank, UBA, First Bank, and Polaris are already operating in Guinea. Cissoko added that both countries, being rich in minerals, have great potential to work together in the mining sector.“In Guinea, many people form their views of Nigeria mainly through Nollywood films. But with this kind of partnership, they can learn more about the country beyond what they see on screen.

“Guinea and Nigeria have a long-lasting bilateral relationship. “It is a good thing that a credible association like yours, the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria, is paying us a courtesy visit.

“We are great mining countries, which Nigerian investors could leverage on the opportunity to invest in our country,” he said.

The ambassador pledged Guinea’s readiness to work with the association in various areas, including information exchange, sponsorship, training, and charity work.

“We will support your charity work to ensure that you affect the lives of the less privileged in society,” Cissoko said. He also extending an invitation for the association to explore and report on the Guinean community in Nigeria.

In response, the Chairman of DICAN, Comrade Fredrick Idehai, pledged the association’s commitment to partnering with the Guinean Embassy in Nigeria.

“DICAN is ready to share information on their business investments and development as part of the partnership.

“We will be available to support the embassy at all times”, he asserted.

Guinea and Nigeria have historically maintained generally strong diplomatic relations, particularly since Guinea’s independence in 1958. Both nations share close ties within the West African region, and both countries have been actively supporting each other’s development and played key roles in regional initiatives.

News

Nigeria’s inflation jumps to 24.23% in March 2025

Published

4 hours ago

April 15, 2025

ADMIN

Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose to 24.23% in March 2025, according to the official government data source, the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The rise in the country’s inflation rate, from 23.18% back in February 2025 to 24.23% in March 2025, reflected a major increase in the rising commodity and energy costs in the last few weeks.

According to the March 2025 Consumer Price Index (CPI) Report which measures the inflation rate released by the government agency on Tuesday, the country’s food inflation rate was 21.79% year-on-year in March 2025.
The food inflation rate, however, showed a decrease compared to the food inflation rate of 23.51% recorded in February 2025.

Economists had predicted that the country’s inflation rate which decreased minimally in February would rise when the Dangote Refinery and the state-run NNPCL got entangled in a petrol price war that culminated in the temporary termination of a naira-for crude agreement between the two oil companies and the subsequent increase in the pump price of petrol.

Some observers had also said the minimal reduction in the prices of food commodities experienced earlier in February was not sustainable, attributing the temporary decline in the prices of food to the importation intervention of the Federal Government.

Food and commodity inflation have skyrocketed as Nigerians battle what can pass for the worst cost of living crisis since the country’s independence over six decades ago, a development that economic wizards have attributed to President Bola Tinubu’s twin policies of petrol subsidy removal and unification of the forex rates.

News

Plateau 51: Mutfwang mourns, says “we failed you”, begs affected community

Published

5 hours ago

April 15, 2025

ADMIN

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has apologised to the people of Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) for the failure of government and security agencies to protect lives and properties.

Fifty-one persons were gunned down early Monday in the Zikke community of the LGA, with houses razed and many displaced about two weeks after a similar attack led to the killing of scores of persons in Bokkos Local Government Area.

Less than two days after the most recent assault, Governor Mutfwang apologised for the government’s inability to protect the people.

The governor said this on Tuesday at the palace of the Paramount Ruler in Miango.

“I will tell you the truth: I have been crying since yesterday because I had trusted God that all the arrangements were put in place, that this will not happen again. We have made investments in security,” he said.

But like all human arrangements, sometimes they fail. I want to admit that on Sunday night into Monday morning, we failed you. Please, forgive me.”

He urged the people not to relent in their efforts to secure their communities and ensure that they complement security agencies’ efforts by providing vital information for intelligence gathering and expose the antics of the criminals.

Governor Mutfwang, in the company of security chiefs and members of the state executive council, was in Zikke community to commiserate with the people on the death of over fifty persons killed in Monday’s attacks.

The Paramount Ruler of Irigwe land, Ronku Aka, who is the Brangwe of Irigwe, urged the government to come to the aid of the communities with the provision of social amenities in the area.

The governor and the entourage also went to see some of the families who lost their loved ones in the attack. The victims have been buried just as members of the community demanded action to stem the rising wave of insecurity in the state.

Plateau State has been a hotbed of attacks, but the renewed spate of attacks adds a fresh layer of twist to the decades-long crisis rocking the North-Central state.

After the most recent assaults, President Bola Tinubu ordered security agencies to fish out the masterminds, describing the attacks as condemnable.

While experts have linked the lingering Plateau crisis to farmers-herders tussle for resources, Governor Muftwang said it was sponsored and genocidal.

According to him, over 64 communities in the state have been taken over by gunmen.