The Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has stressed the need for women issues to be captured in the Appropriation Act, if their advancement must truly be achieved in Nigeria.
Gbajabiamila stated this yesterday in Abuja in his remarks at the workshop on practical approach to mainstream gender responsive budgeting organised by the house committee on women affairs and social development.
The appropriation act of the federal republic of Nigeria is the premier annual policy document which sets out the policy direction of the government and outlines precise details, the ambitions and priorities to be pursued by the government.
Represented by Hon. Taiwo Oluga, Gbajabiamila noted the importance of the act, stressing that there is the need to include the demands of women in it.
“Whatever we hold for the advancement of women in Nigeria ought to be reflected in that document as a matter of course.
“We haven’t always been successful in that regard and we will try very hard to change that, starting with the appropriation bill currently under consideration,” he assured.
The Speaker further stressed the importance of an inclusive government, saying that for Nigeria to succeed in building a prosperous and peaceful nation, a more equal society where practical policy and legislative action to support ongoing conversations about women’s rights must be in place.
In her welcome speech, the Women Affairs Committee Chair, Hon. Otunba Adewunmi Onanuga , said it was important that legislators and all stakeholders have a knowledge of what gender responsive budgeting entails in order to to be able to deliver good dividends to the citizenry, adding that they needed to be more pragmatic in approach to national issues.
Also in a keynote address, the Minister of Women Affairs Dame Pauline Tallen, explained that gender budgetting was not a call to budget for women issues but a more equitable way to budget for all citizens including men, women, girls, boys and the elderly.
