The Minister for Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, has appealed to the Sokoto State House
of Assembly to increase budgetary allocation to the state’s Ministry for Women Affairs.
She made the call during an advocacy visit to the state House of Assembly on Thursday in Sokoto, where she stressed the need for women to fully benefit from dividends of democracy in the country.
Tallen said “as lawmakers, you have the responsibility to protect the electorate who voted for you to become their representatives in the Assembly.
“Women always support candidates in huge numbers during elections in the country, making up to 90 per cent of the total votes.
“There is the need, therefore, to give them special attention by ensuring increased budgetary allocation to address their challenges.
“Moreover, supporting a single woman is like supporting a whole community, being a mother, a guide and teacher who embraced all for the best future.”
The minister also said that her visit to the Sokoto House of Assembly was on a mission to recognise the importance of legislature in women development.
She commended the Assembly’s dedication in moving the state to greater height, while appealing for more collaborative measures to end all forms of violence against women, girls and children in the state.
Responding, the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Aminu Achida, thanked the minister for recognising the lawmakers as stakeholders in promoting the lives of women.
Achida, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Abubakar Magaji, assured the state assembly’s commitment to ensure speedy passage of the bill on Child Rights Acts and that of Violence Against Women.
A member of the House of Representative, Alhaji Balarabe Kakale (PDP- Sokoto), said that the advocacy visit was a commitment by the Federal Government and the National Assembly to interface with state assemblies in making laws for Nigerians.
“This is because laws are essential for the day to day running of many government affairs. The laws would give legal backing to the actions or inaction of government, hence the need for grassroots input to achieve the desired objectives.”
