Suspended Ogun council chairmen want reinstatement Actionaid launches N2.6b project in Nigeria as USAID laments gender gap

Women group decries insecurity, urges govt’s urgent action

ASECTION of the Ogun State Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun and the House of Assembly to reverse the suspension of 20 councils and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAS) chairmen.

The Eighth Assembly led by former Speaker, Suraj Adekunbi had passed a resolution suspending all councils and LCDAS on Friday, May 31, 2019.

It also directed the affected chairmen to hand over the affairs of their councils to Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGA) and appear before it on Friday, June 7, 2019 for investigations of their alleged financial misconduct.

ACTIONAID Nigeria yesterday launched a N2.6 billion Women’s Voice and Leadership Project to advance protection of women and girls’ rights to achieve gender equality in the country.

This follows a United States Aid for International Development (USAID) report indicating that it would take another 170 years to close the gender

equality gap.

The five-year project, to be implemented in Enugu, Bauchi, Kebbi, Cross River, Lagos and Kwara states, would address women empowerment and economic justice, women in conflicts, gender, sexualbased violence and participation in governance.

Former Minister of Women Affairs, Josephine Anenih, expressed concern about the declining representation of women in leadership positions in the country, while launching the programme in Abuja. Responding, Actionaid’s Country Director, Ene Obi said the organisation has partnered with Global Affairs Canada to contribute to gender equality between men and women. She added that the project would provide the needed resources to women’s rights organisation and their networks to embark on activities they have been denied of in the country.

Meanwhile, a faith based group, Mothers of the Nations Oranisation for Peace and Development, led by its President, Bishop Priscilla Otuya, has charged the Federal Government to rise up to the nation’s insecurity challenges before the situation leads to anarchy.