Ministry of Women Affairs Drum Support For 100 Women Lobby Group Activities

The Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development said the Ministry is supportive of 100 Women Lobby Group activities in the State and their demands.

The National Coordinator and Ogun State 100 Women Lobby Group were received by the representative of the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Wonuola Kassim – the Director, Women Empowerment Services. 

The Honorable Commissioner, who spoke through Mrs Wonuola Kassim disclosed this while addressing the 100 Women Lobby Group in Abeokuta the Ogun State capital.

Mrs Kassim expressed her apology  for not attending at the last visit of the 100 Women Lobby Group.

She however noted that the Ministry is supportive of 100 Women Lobby Group activities in the State and their demands.

She noted that at the LGA levels, 35% affirmative actions have not yet been realized in most appointive positions, as women themselves are often the issue. 

She further expressed the various actions of the Ministry to support women in politics such as printing posters for women aspirants. 

She enquire if there are things 100 Women Lobby Group can do to further strengthen women’s political participations, as there is nothing bad having a female President or Governor. 

She went ahead to welcome all, on behalf of the honorable Commissioner and prayed for a successful deliberation during the National’s visit.

The purpose of the visit was taken and the National Coordinator 100 Women Lobby Group expressed joy at seeing the Ministry representative. 

She further reiterated that the Governor was due to see the Group on the 6th April,. 2021. She canvassed on the need for the Government to encourage more women to come out for elective positions. 

She extolled the fact that Ogun State had produced exemplary women who led critical sectors in the past, in many areas such as businesses and industries. 

The Honourable prayed for more women in leadership and the need to be supported of more women as well as the government supporting more women’s political aspirations. 

Mrs Kassim noted that Ogun women are already leading in critical sectors and wonder why they lag behind in political participation.  

She noted that if given more spaces, women would transform the state into an enviable position. The maintained that Ogun can help change the narrative to the betterment of the Nigeria women and the nation at large. 

Men were therefore asked to give women the needed support to enable the state have productive services while developing the state. 

She stressed the objectives of 100 Women Lobby Group which is promotion of more women in leadership and politics. 

The second objective is to ensure the emergence of more women in leadership, She lent a voice to the Governor picking more women and encouraging them to go into politics. 

She maintained that table talk is a technique to win and that Government need to identify women who can lead the State effectively.

In her response, Mrs. Kassim promised to table the request of the 100 Women Lobby Group with the Commissioner, who would take same to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ogun State. 

She further gave the genesis of developmental issues and women in the state. 

She further extolled the great values of our ever listening Governor in Ogun State. There is a need to use the right channel towards having empathy from the listening Governor in the State. The National Coordinator thereafter appreciated the Commissioner of Women Affairs. 

Princess Hamman-Obels reacted to issues on women by asking that women stops engaging in “clapping and dancing” politics and learn to be business like. 

She wants the Ministry to help identify women with capacity at the LGA levels and see how 100 Women Lobby Group can support the Ministry, while the Ministry drives the process.

In her response, the Commissioner noted that ownership lies with the overhead and budget allocation. There is a need to lobby through the right channels.  

She cited the fact that there are champions monitoring elections and its process, but recorded problems due to the prevailing levels of hunger in the Country, this often dissuades women from having a listening hear to issues at stake. 

Princess Hamman-Obels noted that hunger truly pushes women to do funny things. 

The team canvassed for the need for a data base/info graphs in which competent women within the state would be enlisted.  

Mrs. Foluke Ademokun, the Deputy Coordinator for the 100 Women Lobby Group in the South West noted that politics is about resources. 

The concept of God Fathers and God Mothers can be adopted as a way of achieving more women in leadership.  she cited the fact that a woman like “Iyalode Tinubu”   can deliver her local government. 

There is therefore a need to start engaging and teaching men to begin to think issues pertaining to women. We need to organise strategy sessions, get women of high integrity to be God mothers, for the development of young mentees. We should train young mentees so that the right values and skills can be obtained over time.