Dep Gov hails El-Rufai over women empowerment

The Deputy Governor of Kaduna state, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, said that the welfare of women would greatly improve at both national and state levels, if the country had visionary leaders.

Dr Balarabe made the statement at the swearing in of political appointees in kaduna

Dr Balarabe pointed out that out of 17 Commissioners, there were nine women as members of Kaduna State Executive Council, adding that the figure represented about 53 per cent of the cabinet.

The deputy governor further stressed that the high number of women Commissioners in Kaduna State ‘’is undoubtedly the best in Nigeria, adding that as of now, the state was the ” best to be a woman in Nigeria”.

The new appointees sworn-in included Umma Ahmed as Commissioner for Local Government Affairs and Aminu Abdullahi Shagali as Special Adviser-Political Matters.

She noted that ‘’this is the first time that a woman will be presiding over the Ministry of Local Government Affairs as its commissioner in the history of this state. Before now, it has been the special preserve of men.’’

‘’Only Gov El-Rufai can easily dislodge traditionally-held positions that hold back progress and development, like the male ‘ownership’ of the Ministry of Local Government.

“He has done that with so many issues since he became the governor of Kaduna State,’’ she added.

The deputy governor said just last month, she swore in another woman, Hajiya Umma Aboki as the Commissioner for Planning and Budget.

Dr Balarabe advised women appointees not to let the governor down, but help “to keep the doors open for more women to come in, not only in Kaduna State but in other states of Nigeria”.

Dr Balarabe also noted that this was the first time, since the merger of the Christian and Muslin Pilgrims’ Boards under a new law, that an Executive Secretary of the new Pilgrim’s Board was sworn-in.

‘’The reorganisation of the pilgrims boards into one entity is intended to invigorate performance of government in pilgrimage matters, irrespective of religion,’’ she added.

She further enjoined all the appointees who were sworn in to continue contributing ‘’to the development of our people as you have been doing’’.

“It is your previous performances that earned you these positions.’’