News

Making Investment in Women a top priority

Published

1 year ago

March 8, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Making Investment in Women a top priority

By: Victor Emejuiwe

As we celebrate the international Women’s day there are needs to take practical steps to implement a robust agenda that would address the inequality gap and lack of inclusivity affecting Women in Nigeria. This year’s event should go beyond lip service or the ceremonious affinity associated with the event and concrete actions should be taken to fully invest in Women. Investment in Women should be made a top priority because no society can thrive in a scale of balance if a major population that makes up the society (such as Women) is less empowered.

It is also common knowledge that the determination of functional societies with records of economic and social developments as recorded in advanced countries are found in domains with positive indicators of Women empowerment. Currently, Nigerian Women have been excluded in so many ways; most of which includes; poor enrollment level of females in schools. Statistics shows that the number of female enrollments in most states especially in northern Nigeria compared to their male counterparts is abysmally low. Also, the governance indicators on political inclusion of Women is unfavorably in-balanced. Despite the affirmative action to offer Women 35% of political inclusion, a report published by premium times reveals that the 10th assembly has only 3 Women out of 109 senators and 17 Women out of 390 House of reps’ members which is below 5 percent for both chambers.

On the part of the executive, the Women represented in the cabinet of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu represent just 18.75% which is far less than the required 35% affirmative action. Coupled with this fact is the health and well-being of Nigerian Women, the maternal mortality rate of pregnant and nursing mothers has remained at an all-time low, putting Women at risk of child bearing. Women in the informal sector have also suffered exclusion from government programs and policies despite the economic hardship experienced in Nigeria, most Women in Nigeria are compelled to struggle for daily survival to support the running of the home. The Market Women who sell vegetables, tomatoes and other household items have been totally excluded from any form of social security from the government, with major exclusion experienced in the health insurance sector. The exclusion of Women in the informal sector has led them to resort to alternative medical treatments that endangers their life and well- being. Having highlighted a few of the challenges, it is necessary that the government pay attention to the implementation of its policies on Women inclusion. One of the major policies that addresses the above concern, which requires full implementation, is the National Gender Policy 2021-2026. Some key objectives of the policy aim to explore and fully harness Women’s human capital assets as a growth driver for national development through Women’s economic empowerment. Advance Women’s participation and representation in leadership and governance as well as support Women and Girl’s education, lifelong health, survival and sustainable development.

Also, the ministerial agenda for women empowerment and societal transformation produced by the ministry of Women affairs was strategically designed to uplift communities through Women empowerment, education, and law enforcement. To address the prevalence of illiteracy and out-of-school children, the policy proposes to implement a comprehensive education initiative focused on skill acquisition and vocational education. The implementation of this agenda is an investment priority that should benefit young Girls and Women.

The agenda also plans to liaise with NGOs to organize existing Women cooperative societies into Women affinity groups and provision of essential processing machines and equipment to empower Women in various sectors. Budgetary allocations should prioritize this across sectors. Also, government monetary and fiscal policies should mainstream Women for financial inclusion. In addition, Women should have access to soft loans to enable them to upscale their business and continue to support their families. To reduce maternal mortality, Pregnant Women should be accorded free health insurance as obtained in S.25. of the National Health Insurance Authority Act. Efforts should be made to provide social security in the form of affordable and qualitative health insurance as a top priority for Women. To achieve this, Women in the informal sector should be grouped in a formalized structure according to their line of occupation and registered to access health insurance. For instance, association of Women farmers can be registered under one health insurance umbrella, the same goes for market Women association, Small Scale Women etc. This would guarantee their productivity and increase their life expectancy. The plans contained in the various government policy agenda should be costed and implemented accordingly.

In conclusion, Women should not be left out of the political space, governments at all levels must show strong commitment in the inclusion of Women in all facets of governance by ensuring that the affirmative action on Women serves as a strong basis for future appointments and elective positions in the country.

Victor Emejuiwe
Monitoring and Evaluation/Strategic Communication Manager
Writes from Center for Social Justice Abuja.
08068262366

Making Investment in Women a top priority

News

Yobe: Member representing Jakusko repairs 250 hand pumps across constituency

Published

1 hour ago

April 6, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Yobe: Member representing Jakusko repairs 250 hand pumps across constituency

By: Yahaya Wakili

In a bid to alleviate the suffering of water faced by his constituents, Honourable Ya’u Usman Dachia, Deputy Speaker and a member representing Jakusko constituents in the Yobe State House of Assembly, has embarked on a tour for repairs and servicing of 250 handpumps across his constituents. He thanks God, and His Royal Highness, Royal Father, Mai Bade, Alhaji Abubakar Umar Suleiman agreed he gave me the traditional title of Gado Da Masun Bade.

My constituents are the place where they voted me in, and if not because of my constituents, I would not find myself in the Yobe House of Assembly, and I didn’t go there to sit down and parade myself as a leader; I went there to represent my people of Jakusko local government, and everywhere, if they say you are a representative of the people, it’s almost like you are a messenger. After that, there is some responsibility on you to see that your people are enjoying themselves, are in good health, or are living in peace; that is why I am going round my constituents.

The time I was the chairman of the local government, I knew how I did my job in Jakusko as a chairman. If you met me, you presented your problem of your town or your village. Inshallah, before I go to the office, I will visit the town, and if the town is far, I will go to the office first, and on my way coming back home, I will branch to the town. If they tell me that our borehole has a problem, you, the complainer, before returning back home, will meet the mechanics repairing the borehole.

“The reason for doing these is because the masses, I am fearing, will question you about what you did to your people or why you live while your people are suffering. Alhamdulillah, I saw the impact of doing this. The reason why I say so is, to the best of my knowledge, Jakusko, they present many members, and all of them did only one tenure, but I have been doing it for three times now, and the masses agreed to vote for me, so there is a mature understanding between me and them. They agreed with me, and I, too, agreed with them. I will not agree with what will cheat them.

So I observe that I am in the house of assembly. I sit down with the governor and give him the advice that this is how I want to do it. He agrees, and then I embark on this tour of every village or town, and if there is a hand pump in Jakusko, I assure you I will go stand on it. Even if it is functioning, I will tell the mechanic to check it if there is a problem with the pipe or the pipe is not supplying enough water or has a problem, or if the pipe has become old and needs replacement, we will replace it, and then we will move to the next village. We have about 250 hand pumps in the Jakusko local government, and I assure you that I will repair or service them all. I will not go back to the office until I complete this work.

I started this work two days before Ramadan, and I spent almost the whole month on this tour, and now, immediately after Sallah, I will go back to continue with my work. Alhamdulillah, people understand the impact of it. They reach the level where people from the other village will come and request, Please, sir, live in that one and come and attend to us. We don’t have water.” I will reply to them, No, we are following step by step, line by line. Go and wait for your turn. After we finished our work, we would inform the public that if there is any village that we omit, they should let us know, and we will come back and repair it again.

Yobe: Member representing Jakusko repairs 250 hand pumps across constituency

News

Bade, local government chairman, prays for Governor Buni

Published

1 hour ago

April 6, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Bade, local government chairman, prays for Governor Buni

By Yahaya Wakili

The Executive Chairman of the Bade local government council, Yobe State, Hon. Ibrahim Babagana, has said the entire people of Bade local government will continue to pray to Allah (SWT) to reward His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON (Chiroman Gujba), with Aljannatul Firdaus.

Ibrahim Babagana revealed this to newsmen shortly after the end of the durbar at the emir’s palace at Gashua, the headquarters of the local government council.

He said, We, the entire people of Bade, don’t have anything to tell Chiroman Gujba except to thank him. God reward him and all that a leader is supposed to do for his people. Governor Mai Mala Buni has done for us. He said, first, if you look at roads, the Buni administration has linked all our communities with roads. If you come to market, we have a market even in the northeast; we are proud of it. Nowhere has a standard market like us.

“If we come to primary health care, there is no village or town in Bade local government that doesn’t have a health center, doesn’t have facilities, staff, and even wards; any ward has facilities. On the agriculture front, the Buni administration distributed farm implements to us, such as tractors, fertilizers, seeds, plows, threshers, and other farm implements. We were getting so many things that our masses benefited from it. And all these are courtesy and great achievements of His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni, CON, Chiroman Gujba.

“In fact, between us, the entire people of Bade local government and His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni CON, continue praying for him. May Allah (SWT) reward him, may Allah reward him with Aljannatul Firdaus, and may Allah accept our prayers. Amen. And what remains to us, we the masses, is only loyalty, support, and cooperation with Buni’s administration.

Hon. Ibrahim Babagana said a visionary leader has done his own part; he solved all our problems and our entitlements, he fulfilled all his campaign promises to the people, and what remains is for us to follow him 100% and continue praying for him. May Allah continue to guide him and complete his tenure successfully, and may Allah guide him to bring a good successor who will continue from where he stopped.

Therefore, my appeal to the people is to be loyal always and always accept what God brings us. All that God designs, nobody can change it, and anything Allah did to you, if you say you didn’t agree, you must suffer. Therefore, we, the people of the Bade local government area, are together with His Excellency. Governor Mai Mala Buni CON Chiroman Gujba.

At the durbar, Babagana said, The Bade emirate council organized a durbar to celebrate the Sallah festivities, and there are so many cultural heritage and dances on display, and in the whole Yobe state, there is no other emirate that organized Sallah festivities on day one and day two and concluded with a durbar like the Bade emirate council. This is a proud moment for me and for the entire people of the Bade local government generally.

He further said on the first day, His Royal Father came and sat down, and thousands of people performed cultural heritage dances in different colors, and on day two, they set up a committee to organize a competition on horse racing. During the competition, they got first, second, and third positions, where His Royal Highness was sitting watching, which was very interesting. It was something for motivation to improve the cultural heritage of the Bade local government, and people supported it.

Bade, local government chairman, prays for Governor Buni

News

Malians Youth Gang Violent Clashes Claims Life in Maiduguri

Published

18 hours ago

April 5, 2025

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Malians Youth Gang Violent Clashes Claims Life in Maiduguri

By: Zagazola Makama

An 18-year-old youth, identified as Bakura Muhammed, was fatally stabbed on April 4, 2025, during a violent clash between rival youth groups in Maiduguri.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the altercation occurred at about 4:30 PM in the Ajari and Tashan Lara areas, where youths from both sides engaged in a free-for-all fight.

The victim was fatally stabbed on the stomach. He was immediately transported to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, by the security personnel from Maiduguri Borno police command, where he was confirmed dead by medical personnel.

A police sources said that seven individuals, aged between 15 and 24, have been arrested in connection with the incident. They include Ba’abba Kyari (20), Ali Alhaji GoniAli (20), Muhammed Audu (18), Ali Isa (15), Adam Sabir (15), Mohammed Tujja (17), and Usman Kasim (24).

Authorities are still searching for other members of the gang who fled the scene.

The victim’s body has been deposited at the hospital morgue for autopsy and was later released to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.

Malians Youth Gang Violent Clashes Claims Life in Maiduguri