Don Hails Reps’ Endorsement Of Affirmative Action

A university teacher, Dr Olaifa Temitope has said that the endorsement of the 35 per cent affirmative action by the House of Representatives will boost the morale of women to aspire to leadership positions in the country.
Temitope, who is of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, however berated the Senate for rejecting the bill.
She told The Tide in an interview in Port Harcourt, that Nigeria cannot run away from the issue of gender equality having ratified the Beijing protocol.
According to her, the Senate should have known that it cannot sweep the issue of Affirmative Action under the carpet.
“The reality is that Nigeria was a signatory to the Beijing protocol and there is noting she can do about it”.
She called for the harmonization of position of the House of Representatives and Senate, adding that it would hasten presidential assent to the bill.
Temitope advised President Mohammadu Buhari to work with both chambers of the legislature to ensure the harmonization of the bill, adding that his assent and implementation would give the Nigerian women a new lease of life.
“I really want to commend the House of Representatives for its understanding and refusing to toe the path of the Senate.
“This is just what the Nigerian women need to occpy their rightful place in the scheme of things”.
She also said that the Nigerian women would not relent in the struggle to achieve total equality with their men counterpart.
Temitope also commended the both chambers for voting for Local Government Autonomy as well as financial autonomy for state Assemblies.
She noted that the decisions of the two chambers will help to advance democratic institutions in the country.