Minister Assures On 35 Per cent Affirmative Action

The Ministry of Women Affairs says that with 33 per cent so far achieved, Nigeria can attain 35 per  cent affirmative action for women in public positions.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Zainab Maina, made the statement recently during the Mid-Term Review Meeting of 13th Regular Council on Women Affairs.

Maina, represented by Mrs Elizabeth Emuren, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said that the action prescribed in the National Gender Policy in 2006 through advocacy, consultation, negotiations and lobbying had translated to the appointment of 13 women ministers.

She said that the figure was 33 per cent of the Federal Government cabinet and the highest so far in the history of Nigeria.

Maina said the development was in addition to four women, who were appointed as senior special advisers to the president.

“While we bask in this euphoria, we are confident that Mr President will continue to create an enabling environment for the actualisation of the 35 per cent,” Maina said.

She said the Ambulance Scheme in realisation of goals five and six of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which was aimed at addressing maternal mortality, had been completed.

Mainasaid that the scheme would run alongside the Midwives Service Scheme to achieve maximum impact.

According to her, other achievements are the construction of 70 skills acquisition centres across the country, which are near completion to be put to use before the end of the year.

The Women Fund for Economic Empowerment (WOFEE) and Business and Development Fund for Women (BUDFOW) are undergoing reviews to ensure they are tied to programmes that provide essential training for women to access wider markets, she said.

In her remark, Emuren who was represented by  the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs Ibironke Lapitan said the review was a stock-taking period to assess the level of progress made and the challenges.

Emuren said the council must be seen as providing the enabling environment to address gaps

arising from implementation at all levels as they impacted on the ministry’s mandate.