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As part of efforts to effect affirmative action at the national assembly, a bill to make it compulsory for every state to reserve one seat for a female senator will soon come up for second reading in the House of Representatives.
Rep Taiwo Oluga, who is the Chairman of, House Committee on Women in Parliament, made this known when she received the Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), a coalition partner to Advance Gender Equality (SAGE) in Abuja.
She said that the bill is an initiative of the committee and part of the efforts being made to increase women representation in government.
What we are proposing in the bill is to have at least a senator from every state, it can be two out of the three.
“It is not just because the female wants to occupy positions, we want to complement the efforts of the men; we are not in competition, just to complement them.
“Why is the committee advocating this? It is because we know we have women who are intelligent and are capable in this country.
We have females that have the ability, they have demonstrated the ability; we are just 12 in this 9th House but our contributions on the floor cannot be swept under the carpet, the house recognises that.
Oluga commended the contributions of female lawmakers to national issues such as security, health and in reducing the number of children out of school.
The lawmaker said that the issues in the country today cannot be addressed without the participation of women.
