Get Leah Sharibu To Show Love For Girl-Child, FG Told

Sen. Bassey Ewa Henshaw on Friday called for more equitable distribution of positions, responsibilities and opportunities irrespective of gender and social status to bring out the best in the citizens. He also urged the Federal Government to dig deeper into the incarceration of Leah Sharibu as a way of demonstrating its love for the girl-child.

Ewa-Henshaw made the call in Lagos at the flag-off of activities to mark the 2021 International Women’s Day celebration by the Nigeria Girl Guides Association (NGGA).

The event featured election of new executives of the NGGA.

The theme of this year’s  International Women’s Day celebration is: “Choose to Challenge”.

The International Women’s Day, held every  March 8, is to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.

According to the former lawmaker who represented Cross River South in the Senate between 2003 and 2011, giving equal opportunities to all will provide a sense of belonging to all and advance national integration and development, thereby making the country a better place.

He said that leaders  should give women deserved positions in all areas of endeavour, in a bid to move the nation forward.

”We can see the number of women in the  National Assembly, it is a very small fraction.

”Some administrations gloat over appointing women into ministerial or advisory positions.

”This should not be so. It is a right because intellectually, I think that some women are very smart; so for me, I think a lot of men need to be self-assured or have self confidence.

According to him, the recent appointment of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation should remain a strong source of encouragement and inspiration for an average Nigerian woman.

He said  that such a feat  should  be  continually celebrated by the country .

Henshaw urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts in protecting the girl-child striving  to attain education in every part of the country, especially in the  face of the rampant abduction of students from boarding houses.

” The government should specifically look into the issue of Leah Shuaribu to determine where she is, who is holding her and why, and bring her back.. Getting Leah Sharibu, he said would show the government’s love for the girl-child.

The outgoing Chief Commissioner of the NGGA, Mrs Maria-Goretti Sule, said that the theme of the 2021 International Women’s Day celebration was apt.

“This is so as girls and women across the Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting Movement are sharing what and how they will choose to challenge injustices they are faced with,” she said.

She said that the girls and women were determined to transform challenges into positive changes.

”Women and girls are still discriminated against everyday for simply being themselves.

“They are underrepresented in Science, Technology, Engineering and  Mathematics at school and in workplaces.

”Little wonder the World Health Organisation reported that the violence they suffer is a global health problem of epidemic proportion,” Sule said.

Leah Sharibu who was given as an example of the girl-child was among the schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram on February 19, 2018. While other girls were brought back she was held back for holding on to her Christian faith.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the newly-elected executives of the NGGA include Mrs Rhoda Thomas as Chief Commissioner, Mrs Lilian Damie, National Project Commissioner, and Mrs Titilola Oluwatoyin as  Public Relations Officer.

The  NGGA is the largest uniformed voluntary organisation dedicated to girls and young women.

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