Women in Ondo State under the aegis of Ondo State Women Must Count (OSWMC) have described the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led government in Ondo State as the worst among the APC states in the country in the area of gender sensitivity.
The women lamented that the APC government under Akeredolu in the sunshine state can not be compared to other APC controlled states where women are fully represented in government.
The National Coordinator of the group, Mrs Olamide Falana who led other women, faulted the names of the commissioner nominees sent to the House of Assembly by Akeredolu, for confirmation.
She accused the governor of only paying lip service to the issue of gender parity promised in its manifestoes.
Falana lamented that women were extremely marginalized in the Commissioner nominees list sent to the State Assembly.
The governor had on Tuesday unveiled his Commissioners nominees.
The 18 nominees, which had only two women on the list, are expected to appear before the legislators for screening on Friday (tomorrow).
According to the group: “We express our displeasure and find unacceptable the recent list of commissioners submitted by the Governor of Ondo state, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to the state House of Assembly for screening.
“The said list shows a total disregard to the yearnings of the women of the state who hitherto had very high hopes of a better representation in numbers in the leadership of the state especially with the new thinking the governor professed.”
Falana, who was the governorship candidate of Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) in the November 26, 2016 guber poll, lamented further that the inclusion of just two women out of 18 commissioner nominees was unacceptable.
Aside marginalization, they also criticize lopsidedness in the previous appointments, declaring that, “the government is merely paying lip service to issues of gender parity promised in its manifestoes.
“This is the worst among all APC governed states where women have better deals as gender is not seen as a consideration in development of Ondo State whereas no nation can develop to its full potentials if major stakeholders are not allowed the space for due representation and participation.”
The women demanded an urgent change in the status quo, which has only Mrs Omowumi Olatunji-Edet from Akure South and Mrs Lola Fagbemi from Ondo West, same Central Senatorial District.
“We demand the 35% affirmative action in all government appointments,” they insisted, reminding the incumbent governor of his pledges to give women active roles in his cabinet.
“We hereby call on the Governor Akeredolu, his deputy, Agboola Ajayi, the party leader, Engr. Ade Adetimehin to act quickly to in order to avert further actions from entire women of the state who are saddened by this development,” they said.
OSMC is a vibrant pressure group comprising eminent women in civil societies, professional bodies, academia, business professionals and market women.
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