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Make Laws to Ensure Gender Parity, Nigeria, Other West African countries Asked
Make Laws to Ensure Gender Parity, Nigeria, Other West African countries Asked
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria and other countries in the West African sub-region has been asked to make laws that would ensure gender parity.
The call was made on Friday at the Opening of ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA) Town Hall Meeting in Abuja.
Speaking while declaring open the meeting, the Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament, Dr. Sidie Mohammed Tunis said it is pertinent to create an atmosphere of gender equality in the countries of the sub-region for growth and harmony.
Tunis who appreciated the demonstration of commitment and political will exhibited by President Julius Maada Bio of the Republic of Sierra Leone, who recently signed into law the landmark Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Bill 2022, guaranteeing the principles of inclusion, representation, participation, and a more responsive posture on gender, said: “We are hopeful that similar action will be replicated in all our Member States.”
The Speaker also acknowledge and commend the very important steps being taken by ECOWAS Member States to address Gender issues.
On the townhall meeting, he said: “My sincere anticipation is that the days that have been allocated to this event would no doubt open a vista of hope for democracy in our region.”
He said: “I am optimistic that the lessons learned at the end of this townhall meeting, would transcend our region. With our ambitious and vibrant young population, we have good reasons to look up to the future.”
He noted that the substance of the meeting, which is adequately captured in
the theme “Rejuvenate Democracy by giving voice to the young people”, is particularly timely, stressing that: “It is coming at a time when the gains we have made towards strengthening democracy in the sub-region is being eroded by the sudden and unfortunate resurgence of unconstitutional changes of Government in some Member States.”
He disclosed that the meeting was strategically aligned with the current ECOWAS Vision 2050, which places more emphasis on women and youth
development in the sub-region, and is aimed at maddressing some of the issues that have contributed to gender inequalities in the region, despite the progress made by most countries regarding women’s participation in the
economic and social sectors.
He said: “I am happy to note that the ECOWAS Parliament, through the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA), has been a strong promoter of scaling up the number of female representations in politics and decision-making bodies in the subregion, by emphasizing the importance of shared values and common policies as a basis for peace and sustainable development.”
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Ann Iyonu urged the West Africa region to prioritize women and youth representation in governance as a way of improving the sub-region.
Iyonu empathized that democracy cannot thrive and function well if it is not inclusive, stating that Women and Youth are major components of the society who should play critical roles in leadership and governance.
She said that the townhall meeting aimed at giving voice to women and youth is timely but expressed disappointment over the low percentage of women elected into the next Assembly of Nigeria.
She also pointed out that women and youth representatives especially in the Parliaments of the West Africa region is very low compared to other regions in Africa where the gap has increasingly and progressively narrowed.
She narrated that in West Africa, only 15.7 percent of the average proportion of seats held by women in the national Parliaments which means the region is lacking behind other Parliaments in Africa like East Africa with 30.8 percent, Central Africa 21.7 percent, North Africa with 20.3 percent.
She however urged that there should be a conscious deliberate effort in changing the status quo of women and youth through education programmes that will boost the knowledge and skills of women and youth in the civic engagement, politics, leadership and public speaking through mentorship and networking opportunities.
She advocated for special seats to be dedicated to women and youth to increase the numbers, noting that “this might not be something we like to hear, out various governments will not like to hear it but one of the measures which we can use to increase the participation of women is to dedicate special seats to increase representation of women and youths in political positions especially in parliament to inspire and encourage more women and young people in politics.”
In her goodwill message, the Country Representative of UN Women, Beatrice Eyong thanked the Speaker for giving a budget for the activities of ECOFEPA. She emphasized the point of low representation of women in politics stating that the domination of the political space by one gender cannot continue to be encouraged especially with the increase number of women and youth in the region.
Make Laws to Ensure Gender Parity, Nigeria, Other West African countries Asked
News
NEWMAP-EIB, Great Green Wall Forge Stronger Ties on Watershed Management, Degraded Land Restoration
NEWMAP-EIB, Great Green Wall Forge Stronger Ties on Watershed Management, Degraded Land Restoration
By: Michael Mike
The National Project Coordinator of the Nigeria Climate Adaptation – Erosion and Watershed Project (NEWMAP-EIB), Engr. Ayuba Yalaks has a courtesy visit to the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NGGW) to deepen collaboration in watershed management, combat land degradation, and promote environmental sustainability.
During the visit, Engr. Yalaks congratulated the Director General of NGGW, Alhaji Saleh Abubakar, MFR, on the successful hosting of the 10th Anniversary of the Great Green Wall, recently observed in Dutse, Jigawa State. He described the anniversary as “highly impactful and a strong testament to the agency’s leadership role in environmental restoration.”
He commended the DG and the agency for initiating a five-year strategic plan to plant date palm (dabino) trees across the NGGW’s shelter belt corridor of the sahel — a project designed to enhance livelihoods, strengthen food security, biodiversity, ecosystem restoration, green jobs, food security and ensure a long-term sustainability and developing resilience of the impacted communities along the belt.
He further eluded to the fact that the “Great Green Wall is not just a Wall of Trees across the Sahel but a Wall of Hope, Security, Green jobs opportunities, Economic growth, and peace”.
Highlighting NEWMAP-EIB’s mandate, Engr. Yalaks noted that the project — funded by the European Investment Bank with a five-year lifespan — is dedicated to climate change adaptation, erosion control and flood management, and watershed management. He stressed that the NGGW remains a key partner in advancing Nigeria’s vision for a green environment, green jobs, and a green economy in line with Mr. President Renewed Hope Initiatives for an improved and better green environment for the betterment of the Nigerian people.
“ As a green project, We provide bioengineering solutions to protect and sustain the civil engineering infrastructures we have put in place. Much of the erosion and flooding we battle today is manmade, caused by human quest for livelihood, and that of poor urban town planning and deficit in urban drainage infrastructural investment. With the increase in the rate to which our forest cover is being degraded and ever rising temperature, the depletion of the ozone layers our rainfall pattern becomes disrupted. Therefore, reversing this trend is critical and called for collective action” he said, which the current government regime is tackling head-on today with the NEWMAP=EIB intervention project.
Engr. Yalaks also encouraged the NAGGW to invest more in research and development, focusing on how planted trees — such as Neem, date palm etc — can generate value chain, including solutions for managing post-harvest losses, herbicides and pesticides, soil fertilizer, pharmaceuticals etc. This will provide ownership and sustainability of the NGGW across the Sahel Region of the Nigerian corridor.
In his response, the Director General, NGGW, Alhaji Saleh Abubakar, MFR appreciated the visit and pledged continued collaboration with NEWMAP-EIB. Both parties reaffirmed their shared vision and commitment to tackling watershed challenges, restoring degraded lands, and building a sustainable and resilient environment for the benefit of Nigerians across the Sahel.
The NPC was accompanied on the visit by all FPMU Specialist Staff, and in attendance with the DG, NGGW was some top management staff of the agency.
NEWMAP-EIB, Great Green Wall Forge Stronger Ties on Watershed Management, Degraded Land Restoration
Policeman earlier presumed killed in Zamfara bandit attack found alive
By: Zagazola Makama
The Zamfara Police Command says a police inspector earlier presumed killed in a bandit attack on Adabka village in Bukkuyum Local Government Area has been found alive.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that AP/No 287155 Insp. Utanga Micheal, reported missing during the Aug. 8 incident in which a Police Mobile Force personnel and a Civilian Joint Task Force member were killed, was rescued after spending five days hiding in the bush.
According to sources, a joint rescue team comprising police operatives, local vigilantes and residents of Adabka traced the officer to the fringes of the surrounding bushes, where he had evaded the attackers.
“He was handed over to the village head, who took him to Adabka Primary Health Care Centre for initial treatment before arrangements were made to refer him to the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau,” the sources said.
Sources said efforts were ongoing to recover missing arms, including riot gunners, taken during the attack.
Policeman earlier presumed killed in Zamfara bandit attack found alive
Two killed, two abducted in bandit attack in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
Armed bandits have killed two persons and abducted two others in an attack on Ruwan Bore village, Talata Mafara Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred at about 1:30 a.m. on Monday when a group of armed men invaded the village, shooting sporadically.
“Two persons were shot dead while two others were abducted to an unknown destination,”said the sources.
The sources added that upon receipt of the report, troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA were mobilised to the area in search of the perpetrators and to rescue the abducted victims.
The sources said assured pf efforts track the attackers.
Two killed, two abducted in bandit attack in Zamfara
NEWMAP-EIB, Great Green Wall Forge Stronger Ties on Watershed Management, Degraded Land Restoration
Policeman earlier presumed killed in Zamfara bandit attack found alive
Two killed, two abducted in bandit attack in Zamfara
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