3rd April, 2017
Women in Benue state on Monday staged a peaceful protest at the Government House, Makurdi, to demand for more political appointments and elective positions in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the inscriptions on the placards that were carried, included “Give more women political appointments’’, “Women are tested and proven’’, “Gender justice or no votes’’ and “Women are critical stakeholders too’’.
Top female government functionaries in the state, including the Member representing Buruku at the State House of Assembly, Mrs Ngunan Addingi and Mrs Keziah Agundu, a member of the State Civil Service Commission were among the protesters.
The leader of the group, Mrs. Priscilla Achagba while addressing Gov. Samuel Ortom, said that in spite of the government’s commendaable achievements in the state, the governor had failed in giving women fair representation in his administration.
Achagba, who said she represented African women at the United Nations, demanded that no fewer than 15 women be allowed to become chairmen and 40 of them as councilors at the forthcoming Local Government elections.
According to her, this will give her the justification to speak more for African Women.
In his response, Ortom thanked the women for making the protest a peaceful one.
According to him, his administration will remain gender friendly and promote the development of women at all times.
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Ortom said that he would appeal to stakeholders at the various Local Governments to consider more women in their selection process.
The governor also promised to include more women in his subsequent appointments.
The governor`s wife, Mrs Eunice Ortom, called on stakeholders to assist the governor in putting smiles on the faces of the women, by including more of them in their agenda.
She said that Benue women are hardworking and would deliver on desired expectations.