Ministerial list: Women, youth inclusion grossly inadequate — Actionaid Nigeria

Actionaid Nigeria has described the ministerial list forwarded to the National Assembly for confirmation as loop-sided and short of meeting the 35 percent Affirmative Action on Women, therefore, unrepresentative and grossly inadequate.

A statement in Lokoja and signed by its Country Director, Ene Obi, said: “ActionAid Nigeria is dismayed that despite the promise by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), through the President, that the party was committed to inclusive governance, that women and young people would not be excluded in decision-making spaces, only seven women made the list, out of the 43 nominees. This 16.6 percent accorded to women is grossly inadequate

“ActionAid Nigeria, therefore, calls on the President to retract the list and make it inclusive, by nominating more women, youths and persons living with disability. It is not too late to do the right thing and keep to the promise made to the Nigerian citizens…”

“We are reminding the President that the National Gender Policy is in force and it should be complied with, not just in letter but in practice.”