Senate wants more women in elective offices

The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday, March 8, 2017, called on government at all levels to give women an equal quota in all elective offices.

The resolution was sequel to a motion by Senator Binta Garba in line with the theme for the 2017 International Women Day; ‘Women in the changing world of work: Planet 50:50 by 2030'.

Senator Garba expressed displeasure over the poor implementation of policies that prohibits violence against women and girls in public and public spheres including trafficking, sexual exploitation, early child and forced marriage female genital mutilation.

The Adamawa North senator stated that women are ‘significantly under-represented’ as legislators, senior government officials and corporate chief executives and managers.

Contributing to the motion, Senator Shehu Sani noted that women are not just mothers or sisters but also partners in nation building.

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Senator Sani called for the implementation of the resolution of the Beijing Women Conference resolutions and amendment of the constitution to allow women to contribute to nation building.

Senate Minority leader, Godswill Akpabio expressed optimism that a woman could become Nigeria’s president in the future.

“I look forward to a day that a woman will become the president of Nigeria because they will bring a lot of refreshment into Nigerian politics,” he said.

The former Akwa-Ibom state governor called on all leaders at various levels to give women the chance to contribute their quota to national development.

The Senate further mandated its committee on women affairs to investigate the Domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act in all states of the federation and report back in four weeks.