At the event held at Serene Hotels Abakaliki, the Coordinator of UN Women Prof. Arthur Ikeme said that despite the gender equality campaigns, there is still low participation of women in politics and this motivated them to carry out sensitization visits to the South East geopolitical zone and Ebonyi State was chosen as the first point of call.
The facilitator of the programme and the member representing Ebonyi North East Constituency in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Hon. Mrs Chinyere Nwogbaga, recounted the hurdles she faced while seeking a political position, adding that women are being marginalized despite their efficiency and dedication to duty.
The House Committee Chairman on Women Affairs equally said that she organized the programme through the sponsorship of the UN Women to intensify the involvement of women in politics, noting that women have proved to be better at handling positions of authority if given the chance.
Giving her stewardship, Hon Mrs Nwogbaga said she has co-sponsored several key bills into law, installed street lights in each of the seven wards in her Constituency, secured health insurance for more than 100 elderly and vulnerable individuals, drilled hand pump boreholes to provide portable water, established a foundation to offer free services to the needy, distributed bag of fertilizers to rural farmers, award of scholarship to indigent students and payment of WAEC fees.
The state female lawmaker commended Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru of Ebonyi State for his giant strides in putting women in positions of authority like the Ebonyi State Deputy Governor, Princess Patricia Obila, the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Grace Umezurike, the Clerk of the State Assembly and Members of the State Executive Council and eulogized the wife of the State Governor, Chief Mrs Mary Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru for her BERWO programme, which according to her, has given women a lease of life.
In her contribution, the Chairman of the Industrial Arbitration Panel in South East, Barr. Princess Tonia Adol Awam called for the enhancement of the Violence Against Persons Law (VAP) to allow more women to participate in politics.
She commended Hon. Mrs Chinyere Nwogbaga for her role in emancipating women, adding that her activities in the constituency have endeared her to the people.
In another speech, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Women Mobilization, Mrs Pauline Nwagu, the President of the Nkaliki Women Association, Mrs Joy Enigwe, the Traditional Ruler of Nkaliki Echara Autonomous Community and President General of Oha Izhi Nnodo Ekumaenyi Clan, Eze Sunday Oketa and a youth leader from the Ebonyi North East State Constituency, Hon. Friday Nwigube, Mrs Ngozi Otozi, Mrs Jacintha Nwokwa, Lolo Obiageri Oketa, all commended the lawmaker, Hon Mrs Chinyere Nwogbaga for her good representation while the Director of Personnel Services in Ikwo Local Government, Dr Lyinda Alo called on women to feel free to participate in politics.
At the end of the UN Women commended the lawmaker, Hon Mrs Chinyere Nwogbaga, for her ingenuity and thanked the State Governor, Chief Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, for putting women in positions of authority in his administration, and the participants assured the facilitator of spreading the message further into the hinterland.
Mr Sylvester Egede, the Public Relations Officer of Ebonyi State House of Assembly, who forwarded this report to the National Panel, disclosed that over one hundred and thirty (130) participants from seven wards of Ebonyi North East Constituency attended the workshop.
