By Ireoluwa Precious
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, has called on the government at all levels to adopt the Ekiti model of women inclusion in governance and politics to catapult the fortunes of the female folks to higher pedestal in the country.
Alluding to this as a veritable platform to create gender balancing in the system, Mrs Afuye commended the All Progressives Congress-led government in Ekiti for appointing women as the Deputy Governor, Speaker, Secretary to the State Government, Accountant General, Auditor General, among others.
She assured the women that Governor Biodun Oyebanji would continually partner them to promote gender balancing and curb incidences of domestic violence, sexual molestations, cultural encumbrances and other socio-economic ills militating against them.
The Deputy Governor said this in Ado Ekiti, at an event commemorating the International Women’s Day Celebration 2023.
Mrs Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant Media, Victor Ogunje, regretted that female-friendly programmes being initiated by governments, had failed to bear fruits due to neglect being suffered by female gender, who ordinarily could have been best drivers of such initiatives.
She charged women to demonstrate their strength during the March 18 House of Assembly poll in Ekiti and elect all the female candidates fielded by the ruling party and others.
The Deputy Governor added that achieving the foregoing task will make Oyebanji’s administration breaking the the records as having the highest numbers of female representation in the legislative arm since the advent of democracy in 1999.
She said there is no doubting the fact that women are very significant in every facet of nation building, saying their impacts would be felt better if they are motivated with the right political and business tools.
Harping on the need for women to key into the new digital wave blowing in the country, Mrs Afuye noted that the current federal government-driven cashless policy, was enough signal that ICT savviness is now the pivot of economic survival.
She said: “The international Women’s Day is an annual event to celebrate women’s achievements, recognize their challenges, and focus greater attention on women’s rights and gender equality.
“The ultimate focus of establishing the women’s Day by the United Nations is to eradicate extreme poverty in our society. I want to appreciate our governor for the attention and importance that he has given to Ekiti women.
” Let me say without fear of contradiction that Ekiti women are occupying many important positions like the Deputy Governor, Speaker, SSG, Special Adviser, female permanent secretaries, Accountant General and Auditor General for Local Goverment.
“I am sure that many women are still coming on board as honourable members of the House of Assembly, commissioners, and other political positions in this administration”.
Canvassing support for APC candidates ahead of Saturday’s poll, particular female ones, Mrs Afuye disclosed that six women will be contesting on the party’s platform, stating that she expected that the women will back them up solidly.
“I am.happy to inform you that in the election to the Ekiti State House of Assembly, six women will be contesting under APC, our great party. BAO’s administration will go into history as the first administration to have the highest number of females in the assembly since 1999.