Director-General, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), Mary Ekpere-Eta has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for selecting seven women among his nominees for ministerial appointment.
A statement signed by the Media Consultant to the DG, Kemi Yesufu, Tuesday, Ekpere-Eta described their appointment as the first step to Buhari’s fulfilment of his promise to honour the 35 per cent representation for women in government, as contained in the national gender policy.
The statement urged women not to despair over observations that female nominations represent about 16 per cent of the Federal Executive Council, saying there were other high ranking positions in government through which the president could bring in more qualified women into government.
“I join other stakeholders in the push for women empowerment to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for nominating women for positions in his cabinet. I congratulate our sisters who are nominees and state my confidence they will perform creditably in whichever ministry they are posted.
“Mr. President announced his support for 35 per cent representation for women when the office of the First Lady, the NCWD and other critical stakeholders hosted the national female aspirants’ summit last year and he has commenced with keeping his words by appointing seven outstanding women as members of his cabinet.
“I call on women to exercise patience and continue to support the President. This is because he is only starting his second term and will with time make more appointments to add to the number of female heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs),” it said.
Continuing, it said: “It is safe to say that with some women already heading important agencies, along with the upcoming female ministers, as well as women who will be appointed into various important positions, Mr. President will achieve 35 percent representation before 2023.”
The DG called on governors to remedy the situation by appointing women as heads of parastatals, special advisers and special assistants, and urged them to send names of women should the federal government seek their suggestions for federal appointments.
A total of seven women made the 2019 ministerial nominees’ list of President Muhammadu Buhari. The figure represents 16.3 per cent of the total of 43 nominees.
The women include: Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna), the current Finance Minister who was appointed in September 2018 and Paulen Talen (Plateau) who was Minishhter of science and technology under President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Others are Sharon Ikeazor (Anambra), the Executive Secretary of Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Ambassador Maryam Katagun (Bauchi), Nigeria’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Ramatu Tijjani (Kogi), former All Progressives Congress (APC) women national leader.
The rest are Gbemisola Saraki (Kwara), former member of House of Representatives & senator, and Sadiya Umar Faruk (Zamfara), the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs (NCFRMI).
