Nigeria women must take participation in politics serious – NGO

Programme Assistant, African Women’s Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund(NWTF), a Nongovernmental Organization, Ms. Mufuliat Fijabi has described gender disparity and lack of adequate participation of women in key decision-making as the major obstacle the women folk are facing in the present democratic dispensation in Kano Speaking at a 2-Day Training of Women Aspirants and Campaign Managersfor 2019 general elections with the theme “ Breaking Political Barriers Through Communication held at the Niima Guest Palace inKano yesterday, Fijabi said the issue of bridging the gender gap in Kano had become imperative for genuine democracy to thrive.
According to her, the Nongovernmental Organization had conducted a painstaking research in all the nooks and crannies of governance in Kano and found that no single woman had been elected to serve in the State legislature adding that with the present democratic dispensation taking shape, the issue of gender exclusion must not be allowed to continue.
“We are here to sensitize the women folk on the need to understand the nitty-gritty of adequate representation in key positions of authority in the name of partisan politics.
We have seen the compelling need for the gender gap to be close as we are heading to the 2019 elections at all levels.” “ We have conducted our research and reached the conclusion that there is the pressing need for us to effect a clear paradigm shift in the way the Women folk were systematically being relegated to the background.
in Kano, the gender gap is so alarming and there is the need to close it” she posited.
“This workshop will serve as an eye opener to each and every one of you for one to comprehend the intricacies involved in the issue of governance with the women folk grossly marginalized.
The Nigerian Trust Fund is all out to inject some same-balance of sanity into the system through constant advocacy and adequate sensitization,” she affirmed.
In his remarks, the Executive Director, Democratic Action Group (DAG), Dr. Mustapha Muhammad Yahaya said the issue of women holding an influential elective position in Kano had become imperative stressing that running successful campaign by women aspirants could only be feasible, strong and credible, considering the clamour for active women participation in the present democratic processes.