BENUE: GOV. ALIA URGED TO NAME A WOMAN TO OCCUPY OFFICE OF FIRST LADY. (PHOTO)

 BENUE: GOV. ALIA URGED TO NAME WOMAN TO OCCUPY OFFICE OF FIRST LADY

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia has been urged to expedite action by declaring public a woman to serve as first lady of the state to avoid a situation where opportunities both national and international has eluded women of the state within the nine months he has operated as governor.

Speaking during a presentation at a media round table to mark this years International Women’s Day celebration organized by APIN Public Health Initiative in collaboration with the Benue State Ministry of Women Affairs on the theme: “Inspiring Inclusion”, held in Makurdi, Executive Director, Mimidoo Initiative for Empowerment and Development, Dooshima Ageh, said such a woman would stand for Benue women on issues concerning women.

The Executive Director recalled that during the tenure of Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu led administration, his deputy’s wife, Mrs Agada was the first lady, saying that governor Alia could do the same thing by declaring Mrs Ode as first lady of the state for Benue women to have a voice, as according to her, the women were already missing out from programmes of women at both national and international.

In her presentation, Lucia Torjir of APIN Public Health Initiative, expressed concern that different governments through policies and statements such as the 35 percent affirmative action have remained mere pronouncements, lamenting that a review of the policies has brought most of them at implementation to zero level.

She further lamented that even when women are included in government businesses or policies, they are given positions that makes no sense such as welfare officers or offices that makes them look like figure heads, appealing that women should be given active positions in all sectors since they are capable.

She appealed to government to move from mere lip service on issues concerning women to active inclusion by taking the rightful steps that would lead to change in issues of women generally, while at the home front women should be allowed to take major decisions, appealing also that the society should support and encourage women through economic empowerment programmes, in recruitment, as well as for their voices to be heard.

Earlier in an opening remark, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Ann Itodo, represented by the Director of Planning, Research and Strategy, William Fele, assured women in the state of government partnership to enable them realize their vision geared towards ensuring gender balance.

The ministry, according to her has made conscious efforts at ensuring that women were included in all programmes of government in every field of human endeavor, emphasizing that the need to encourage the girl child to realize her potential through quality education and entrepreneurship skills are equally considered top priority by the Alia administration.