Group Lauds Kwara Gov on Enactment of Gender Composition Bill

By Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

A leading pro-Democracy group in Kwara State, Kwara Must Change has lauded the State Governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and the Kwara State House of Assembly for the successful enactment of the gender composition bill in the State.

The group also said that the enactment of the bill is a win for all, especially “we at Kwara Must Change, being the organisation that championed advocacy for women inclusion in the state.

In a statement issued in Ilorin yesterday by the group, Mr. Abdulrazaq Hamzat, explained that with the enactment of gender parity bill, Kwara has created a shield against gender discrimination and never again should anyone be discriminated against on the basis of gender in the state.

According to him, the implementation of this landmark bill is a collective responsibility that we must all guide jealously and he called on members of the public, especially women to embrace this new reality.

Hamzat noted that, Kwara Must Change participated in the public hearing of the bill few days ago, where it enjoyed overwhelming support and it commended the speedy passage of bill by the Kwara State House of Assembly.

He also explained that, as far as gender parity is concerned, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq has done the best he can do, the rest of the job is now left to the people, the media and the civil society.

He concluded that the vision of Kwara Must Change, who championed advocacy for gender inclusion is now fully realized and” we have governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to thank for that.”

But, the state chapter of the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) has kicked against the outing saying that, it is meant to create smokescreen to herald the governor AbdulRazaq 2023 reelection bid using public funds for the outing.

In a statement issued in Ilorin yesterday signed by the party Publicity Secretary, Mr. Tunde Ashaolu, the party advised the governor to ease its unwholesome and unrelenting acts of engaging in propaganda as a clever ruse to abortively woo the people of the State over for his 2023 reelection bid.

He said: “Its unfortunate that despite the fact that insecurity and kidnapping spate in the state is on the increase, the executive governor of Kwara state has embark on political jamboree that gulped hundreds of millions.”

Mr Ashaolu opined that, “despite the large scale of unemployment in the state, poor management of the infrastructural facilities and unrelenting borrowing penchant of this present government, all it could think of is to create smoke screen activities to herald the second time ambition of the governor”.

He added: “PDP is a party that believes in the capacity of the Nigeria and Kwara Woman and the quest to further empower and celebrate achievers amongst them, it’s shameful to know that such noble initiative could be used as a smoke screen for sinister activities by the APC government in Kwara.

“Despite the failed electoral promises of the APC government, it still continue to create deceptive and divisive plots to further expand its propaganda thrust in the state of harmony, Kwara.

“We appeal to the people to see through this deceptive government that has converted our revered sporting arena to a political event centre despite the availability of other options in the state,” he said.

He added, “We know that come 2023 we shall boot them out of power and return the lost glory of the State..

“With the amount of loans and billions available to this government through allocation, grants, internal revenue, the government has failed to provide basic needs for the people.

“It is a pity that Abdulrazaq government lacks sincerity in fulfilling its pre election promises; where is the provision of 10, 000 jobs every year, payment of N30,000 minimum wage, reduction in tuition fees,

provision of good road network, among others.

“We, therefore, urge all Kwarans and residents alike to keep faith and at the right time, we will speak to them through the ballots in 2023,”.