The former senate leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, has urged the governor-elect of Cross River State, southern Nigeria, Senator Bassey Otu to formulate a policy for enhanced women’s participation in politics especially governance.
The former senate leader made the suggestion while interacting with some journalists in Calabar, the state capital.
Ndoma-Egba, who gave the assurance that the governor-elect was poised to return Cross River State to the traditional system of governance it was known for, decried the lack of enthusiasm by women in general to actively participate in politics and governance.
He recalled the contributions of women like his mother, Regina Achi Nentui, who was Nigeria’s first elected female local government chairperson for Ikom County Council in 1960 on the platform of the defunct National Council of Nigeria and Cameroun, NCNC as well as Margaret Ekpo and Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti.
He stated, “I am very sensitive to gender issues and I wish that more women play a role. One of the reasons I am even more particular about the role of women is that when my mother was pregnant with me, she was elected councilor in old Ikom; and by the time I was 3 or 4 years, she was an elected chairperson of old Ikom (Ikom, Boki and Etung now) county council.
“That was when we had Margaret Ekpo making waves and Chief Mrs. Ransome Kuti all over the place. But, it looks like we are retreating from the days of women playing dominant roles to just women being on the sidelines and clapping. It is very unfortunate,” he said.
Continuing he said, “we ought to have made more progress than what we have today. I think that it should be a policy of this administration to see how more women can be encouraged to participate not just in politics but also in governance.”
Clearly defined governance
The former senate leader used the opportunity to congratulate the governor-elect on his victory at the polls and expressed the hope that he would utilise his wealth of experience in business to more Cross River State to the next level.
According to him, “we should expect a change in style of governance. Prince Bassey Otu is more of a system person. We are expected to see a return to a more traditional system of governance. The nature of his cabinet, the role of the civil service; roles will be clearly more defined. Coming from an organized business background, we will see a methodical approach to governance and then his personality too, he is a listening type.
“He is open to new ideas and suggestions. So you will see north take one, central takes one and south take one. There will be predictability in government,” he added.
N.O
