By Chizoba Okeke
The Speaker, Anambra State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, has assured women groups and stakeholders of the Assembly’s commitment to initiatives that promote inclusive governance and strengthen democracy.
He gave the assurance while receiving advocates of the Special Reserve Seats for Women Bill during a visit to the State House of Assembly.
Udeze acknowledged the importance of women in nation-building, noting that their contributions at family, community, and professional levels justify greater participation in decision-making processes, while describing the proposed bill as a progressive effort aimed at deepening democratic representation and pledged that the Assembly would give it due legislative consideration.
Leading the delegation, Barr. Oge Ekweozor said the call for special seats is a demand for proper women’s representation, noting that women constitute about 49 percent of Nigeria’s population but are scarcely represented in governance and politics.
She stressed that women have the capacity to contribute meaningfully, adding that increased female participation in governance would bring positive and measurable changes to society.
Earlier, the Coordinator, Women in Politics, Anambra State, and Chairman, Patriot Advocacy Committee for a New Constitution, South East Zone, Chief Ifeyinwa Ezenwa, decried the low level of women’s representation in elective offices across Nigeria despite women constituting nearly half of the population and stressed that the imbalance undermines inclusive governance and limits the quality of policies needed to drive sustainable development.
Chief Ezenwa explained that the Special Reserve Seats for Women Bill seeks to create a structured pathway for women’s participation in legislative bodies at both state and national levels, adding that global examples from countries such as Rwanda, Mexico, and Sweden have shown that increased female representation leads to stronger social policies, economic growth, and national stability.
Among the delegation, were Mrs. Eunice Agunobi, Mrs Chinyere Okafor, Mrs Ifeyinwa Uzozie and Mrs Chiamaka Ekweozor.
Chizoba is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
