Rivers Women Chart New Course For 2011 Elections

As the 2011 elections draw near, Rivers State women have stressed the need for women to campaign and support each other as a way of achieving the 36 percent affirmative action.

Making their views public at a breakfast meeting  for Women Christian leaders organised by the Ministry of Women Affairs over the weekend in Port Harcourt, they asserted that realising the affirmative action depended on how women participate in the elections.

Chairperson of the Catholic Women Association, Mrs. Julic Wika stated that Christian Women had great role to play to make the dream realistic as the church remains a veritable platform to mobilise the electorate.

Mrs Wika who is former commissioner for Women Affairs in the state also called on the women to rally behind Governor Chibuike Amaechi towards achieving his second tenure ambition.

In the view of the former commissioner, the Governor and his wife have shown enormous zeal in reducing the plight of women, hence the need for them to continue the good vision.

Mrs Funmi Dada, a representative of women wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Port Harcourt charged women to eshew  all kinds of discrimination against themselves.

By cooperating with each other, she stressed that it would be easier for most female contestants to win elections, while urging, women to participate in next year’s voter registration exercise.

Another participant, Baby James Eme said women should be encouraged to contest House of Assembly elections outside their states, especially when they have sojourned in such place for over 10 years.

But Mrs. Gift Iminiki from CAN Women ‘s Wing in Okrika Local Government Area argued that such waiver could only be possible if the National Assembly would enact law to allow non-indigenes to contest elections in other states.

Mrs. Iminiki sought for the collaboration of the Ministry and local churches in sensitising women about the forthcoming elections and other activities affecting women in the state.

President of Peculiar Peoples Initiative, Mrs Dorathy Nyornce harped on the need for the Ministry to provide employment opportunities for destitute women.

She submitted that when women were gainfully employed, the society would improve and lots of young girls would not engage in negative vices.

Earlier on, Commissioner for Women Affairs, Barrister Emmanuel, George-Izunwa had challenged women to fully participate in the forthcoming voter registration exercise and elections next year.

In her words,” we want your prayers, we also need those who would take the battle to the gate.”

She hinted that the ministry would collaborate with the police and other security agencies to protect the lives of women aspirants who have been receiving death threats following their ambition.