Following his concern for the rejection of the gender inclusive bills by the National Assembly, former Governor of Enugu state, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani has urged Nigerian women not to give up the struggle but instead, intensify their mobilization towards actualizing the course for women empowerment.
Senator Nnamani is of the view that Nigerian women should rather begin the sensitization and mobilization towards the passage of the bills from the grass root rather than making the battle an elitist struggle .
Senator Nnamani who is the only male Senator in the women Affairs Committee in the parliament said women rights need to be given due attention because “Women rights are also human rights “.
Five bills including those which sought to grant citizenship to foreign husbands of Nigerian women, create special seats for women in the National and state houses of Assembly and allocation of 35% of political appointments to women were rejected by the federal law makers during consideration of the constitutional amendments.
But Senator Nnamani told the women not to give up the struggle because “ there is still a window for consideration of the bills saying “ all you need to do is to go back to the drawing board and strengthen your mobilization from the grass root to the top.
Senator Nnamani wants the bills fine tuned to expunge mundane issues preparatory for representation adding that, “If we desire development, we need to encourage and empower women as partners in the voyage”.
The former governor of Enugu state reputed for his advocacy for women liberation and empowerment said “it is time for the society to rise up against barriers militating against women advancement in the country”.
He promised to continue the advocacy for women liberation and advancement till the harmful cultural practices against them are actualized.
It would be recalled that in the 8th Senate under Senator Bukola Saraki’s Leadership, similar proposal; “Gender Equality Bill” to give women equal opportunities like their male counterparts sponsored by Senator Biodun Olujimi was also rejected.
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