NGO Hails Women Participation In Politics

A non-governmental organisation, BAOBAB, has hailed Nigerian women’s participation in politics but said that only few of them were elected into public offices.

BAOBAB Senior Programme Officer Ann Adidu-Lawal told The Tide’s source  in Lagos that Nigeria needed more women in governance for development.

“If more women are given the opportunity to be in elective positions, they will bring their best to bear,” she said.

She blamed political parties for denying women the tickets to contest elections, pointing out that this could discourage them from participating in politics.

“It is not that women do not participate in politics, getting the tickets is the problem because only those who have godfathers scale through,’’ she claimed.

Adidu-Lawal also said that the lack of funds was a constraint to women’s participation in politics in the past but that many women surmounted the obstacle by engaging the mass media.

“Women are beginning to get soft loans from NGOs; before now, it was difficult for them to get loans as collateral was required,’’ she added.

Our correspondent reports that BAOBAB protects and promotes women’s rights.