A member of the National Assembly Commission, Taiwo Oluga has called for improved enforcement of free and compulsory education for the girl child, with an appeal to state governments to embark on free and compulsory adult education for women.
Celebrating the Nigerian women on the International Women’s Day, Oluga argued that education is pivotal to achieving the Rights, Equality and Empowerment for the female gender.
She observed that though, considerable progress had been made with respect to the education of the girl child in the cities, but much work needed to be done concerning their counterparts across the underserved communities of Nigeria.
“Much of the success recorded in the campaign for compulsory girl child education is limited to areas within the coverage of the media, which is just a percentage of the real challenge.
“Government must put functional measures in place to ensure that our young girls in the hinterland and underserved communities go to school, particularly they must have basic education.”
Oluga who was a member of the 9th Assembly of the House Representatives pointed out that a large number of women in the informal sector could be captured under the adult education scheme, thereby enhancing their knowledge and capacity to stand for their and take informed decisions.
The APC Chieftain also charged various active women groups in Nigeria to organize themselves as independent monitors to ensure that the women empowerment issues in the President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda reach the grassroots, as she believed that such would facilitate meaningful change and promote gender equality.
Oluga commended Nigeria first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu for her initiatives aimed at empowering women in all aspects of life, stating that they complement the government’s agenda for women empowerment.
The National Assembly Commission member also charged Nigerian young women to join political parties as major stakeholders, indicate interest in leadership positions, not just as background entertainers in parties events.
“Most women in politics today are just there as members, but are scared of the struggles for power with men, for many obvious reasons. However, for such trend to change, women must prove that they possess capacities and can deliver, not just as entertainers, but in delivering parties manifestoes and roadmap.”
She however emphasized that the support of the male gender was crucial in giving women voices and making them play critical roles in the societies, thereby appealing to men, most especially party leaders to encourage the women folk.
