The Deputy Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Comfort Ojoma Nwuchiola Egwaba and The Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs and Poverty alleviation has called on the state government to revamp the ministry of women affairs in order to serve the purpose for which it was created.
Rt Hon. Nwuchiola Egwaba made the while interacting with Journalists shortly after the ministry of women affairs concluded their 2025 budget defense at the State House of Assembly in Lokoja.
The Deputy Speaker who is representing Ibaji State Constituency at the State House of Assembly lamented that the ministry of women affairs is not living to expectation as a result of financial challenge and appealed to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to declare state of emergency with a view to inject life into the ministry to enable it fight the cause of women and the people living with disabilities.
“Today we looked into the budget proposal of ministry of women affairs and all the agencies under the ministry.
“To God be the glory especially the ministry of women affairs, to me I will suggest that a state of emergency should be declared in the ministry of women affairs because women affairs in those days used to be very effective in championing the cause of women and the people living with disabilities.
“But, today most of the units have been curved out as agencies. Now disability has its agency, humanitarian has it agency and social investment is also on its own as agency.
“Regrettably the mother ministry which is the ministry of women affairs is not really doing well, I am not saying that the person on the helm of affairs of the ministry is not doing well, but lack of finance has been a major challenge in the ministry and some of the units that are suppose to be up and doing are not really functioning optimally due to lack of finance.
“Some units that are suppose to be generating revenue for the ministry are not functioning. In those days children amusement park used to be lively with activities thereby generating revenue for the ministry, but today the amusement park has been taken away and the school that belongs to the ministry has been taken away too.
“The ministry of women affairs which is saddled with the responsibility of training gender and the girls child now remained redundant and not viable to perform its statutory obligations as ministry” she stated.
According to her, part of the Renew Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through his wife is all about women inclusivity in governance, empowernment and leadership positions, stressing that if the ministry of women affairs is not functioning well or living to expectation these opportunities which Remi Tinube is championing for women may elude them.
The Deputy Speaker however praised the commitments of His Excellency in prioritizing the welfare of the people of Kogi State .
While urging the commissioners and other political appointees in the state to emulate the leadership style of the governor, Rt. Hon. Nwuchiola Egwaba advised them not to stop their activities at budge defense alone, but to lobby where necessary in order to achieve much for their ministries.
“We prayed that most of the capital expenditure of the ministries in the budge should go a long way because if it is properly utilized most ministries will deliver the desired dividend of democracy to the people.
“I am also urging the commissioners not to stop at the budge defense, they should further lobby where necessary to ensure that their ministries achieve a lot for the people. They should make sure that what has been appropriated for the ministries or agencies should be utilized judiciously in the interest of the people” she stated.