General News
Mrs Ifeyinwa Omowole, National President, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), has advised female journalists to be involved in active politics to achieve 35 per cent affirmative action for women in governance.
Omowole gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on sideline of one-day workshop on “NAWOJ at 30: Still standing’’ on Tuesday in Abuja.
The NAWOJ president urged women journalists to emulate the likes of Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairperson, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, who had made giant strides in politics.
According to Omowole, female journalists are knowledgeable enough in politics and should be encouraged to participate actively in it for better representation and promotion of gender issues.
“ We find ourselves as jack of all trades and master of all, but we are not utilising the knowledge very well.
“ Even though, some of our men are good in politics than women, we want to encourage women journalists to go into active politics.
“We are in politics, but we are not into active politics, but we should be involved in active politics,’’ the NAWOJ president said.
Omowole, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing women into key positions in his cabinet.
“We’ll continue to encourage government to look inward; at least the women who were taken were given good and sensitive portfolios in the ministerial cabinet.
“ For us, that is a good sign; other appointments for directors-general and for boards, they should look inward and take more women,’’ she said.
NAN reports that five female ministers served in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet during his first tenure, representing only 13 per cent of women participation in the government.
President Buhari, however, increased the number in the ministerial portfolio in the second tenure as seven women are currently serving in his government. (NAN)
-Nov 12, 2019 @16:40 GMT |
Tags: NAWOJ President urges women journalists Participate in active politics
