Senate to protect women interests as it commences for Constitution Review – Omo-Agege

As senate sets to commence alteration of some provisions of the 1999 constitution the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (APC Delta Central) has assured women that their interest would be protected.

Omo-Agege who made the declaration yesterday in his capacity as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review, said women interest would be protected but not to the detriment of constitutional provisions against discrimination of whatever form.
He spoke against the backdrop of one of the memoranda personally delivered to him by national officers of the League of Women Voters of Nigeria.

He said the committee is already warming up for the onerous tasks as many bills to that effect, have been forwarded to it aside memoranda being received from different interest groups in the country.

“Let me appreciate the League of Women Voters of Nigeria for this memorandum. It is very timely and apt because the Constitution Review committee is already steaming for action.

“Anything about women is very important to us because the day women decide to speak with one voice, men will definitely be in trouble.

“I know part of what would be in the proposals just submitted, will be about the increase in the proportion of women participation in governance in line with the Benjien protocol but that would be looked into in a way that would not infract with provisions of the constitution as regards gender discrimination.

“Although what you have submitted in the memorandum will be thoroughly perused by us but in line with our procedures, your proposals would still be needed to be routed through bill submission and consideration by the Senate in plenary.

“So, from our own end here, a bill would have to be sponsored on proposals for constitution amendments made by the women voters, for it to be officially forwarded to the committee as part of other numerous bills that had been received to that effect”, he said.

Earlier in her presentation, the National Secretary of the League of Women Voters, Pastor ( Mrs) Reginald Omo-Agege, said all proposals made in the memorandum, were geared towards making the voice of women heard, in the scheme of things in the country.

The vision of the network according to her, “is to be Nigerians leading Network for women’s empowerment, leadership and achievement, driven by participatory democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge and the confidence to participate “.

Other National officers of the group at the memorandum Presentation were Dr Aisha Lemu and Mrs Mate Olori.