By Bello Adamu,
Bauchi
A veteran journalist in Bauchi State, Ibrahim M Baba, has advocated end to the early marriage and lack of educational opportunities among girl child in Nigeria.
He made the appeal, while presenting a paper titled, “Women Participation in Governance and Decision Making Process” during the commemoration of this year’s International Women’s Day celebration organsed by the Department of Mass Communication, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic Bauchi in collaboration with Centre for a Information Technology and Drvelopment (CITAD) for female students of the institution.
Ibrahim Baba, who was worried over gender parity and women participation in governance in Nigeria said, “The old practice of early marriage and lack of educational opportunities for the Girl Child should be redressed so as to cope with the changing trends in the world today”.
Ibrahim Baba who lamented over poor participation of women in governance and decision-making in Nigeria, said, “When we have this kind of system in our governance process, how can women make concrete decisions when they are excluded in the process of making the decision, why have we not implemented to its fullest, the charters and conventions that Nigeria is signatory to?, he asked.
“This problem is better imagined than witnessed in the rural areas where culture and tradition have there own effect on the participation of women in governance. Sometimes, stringent measures that our political parties put in place for a person to qualify to run for elective position also serve as a deterrent. Other issues identified are the traditional institutions and cultural practices that are used to deprive women the opportunity to participate in governing issues at the community level where most of the policies and decisions are made, he said.
“There is urgent need to revisit the level of inequalities and disparity in governance that exist in Nigeria. Women should also be provided opportunities in income generating ventures, land acquisition and inclusion in democratization process,” he said.
The Head of Department of Mass Communication of ATAP, Ahmad Abubakar, who was represented by a lecturer in the department, Nazif Pali, lamented that women in Nigeria were relegated to the background without given opportunity to prove their potential.
He assured that the institution would continue to champion issues that will improve women potential as well as encourage them to participate in governance process.