Northern women urge FG to end killings in North
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Northern women urge FG to end killings in North
A group, Northern Nigeria Women Initiative (NNWI), has urged the federal government to intensive efforts at abating the killings by militia groups across the country. National President of the group, Mrs. Charity Echor, made the call at the maiden National Executive Meeting of the initiative yesterday in Abuja. She said the country was losing its innocent citizens to âthese senseless killings in Adamawa, Benue, Taraba, Kaduna, Zamfara Yobe and Borno states.â Echor said it was the responsibility of the federal government to protect the lives and properties of all citizens as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution. âWe are not happy with the regular flow of blood from the North-east to the Benue valley. We consider the onslaught on our region unacceptable. We are the victims, our children are caught in the web, our people are wasted and those who are living are caged in IDPsâ camps. âOur husbands who are serving in the military are regularly taken away from us in their efforts to fight those waging these wars against us. We have become more vulnerable in our land. âThe unity and peace of the northern region is been threatened which is why we are calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to tighten the security of Nigeria against these evil people,â she said. She said the political leaders must ensure security of all regions of the country by providing good governance and development. On girl-child education in the region, Echor said the group was working on a realistic template to improve enrollment of girls in schools. She said sensitization campaigns would be intensified in the 19 states of the north this year to facilitate a holistic coverage. The national president said the group was prepared to partner with relevant international agencies and those of governments to achieve the herculean task. âThe statistics of school drop-out in the various states of the north are mind boggling and we intend to change the narrative for the better. âIf we can achieve this, then the issue around early marriages would become a thing of the past. Teenage marriages have become a phenomenon because of the huge population of uneducated girls and poverty in homes. âIt has nothing to do with Islamic region as the founder of the religion is celebrated today because of his knowledge, wisdom and fear of God. We are, therefore, insisting on the blend of religious studies and western education in order to become fully librated.â On women participation in politics, Echor said the government should ignite the full implementation of the 35 per cent affirmation, adding that northern women would not support political parties that promised less. âThe body will support women politicians seeking political positions irrespective of the political parties they belong as we are tired of working without gains. We are working hard to at least produce a female governor for any of the northern states in 2019. We are more than ever before positioning ourselves to bargain from a point of advantage.â The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the initiative is committed to economic empowerment of women and youth through capacity building, skills acquisition and development. Queen Esther Oga-Ero, wife of the Paramount Ruler of Egede Kingdom, Mrs. Sadiya Waziri, Dr Aisha Lemu, Hon. Fati Abubakar and Mrs. Winnie Fanaka were executive officers of the body at the event.
