Women With Disabilities Must Not Be Excluded From Reserved Seats–Andrew

The Director of Social Services at the Nasarawa State Disabilities Commission, Mrs Esther Andrew, has said women with disabilities must not be included in the proposed bill reserving seats for women in the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly.

The bill proposes 74 seats for women in the National Assembly and 30 seats each for State Houses of Assembly.

Speaking with LEADERSHIP in Lafia, Andrew described the proposal as a good development that would boost the morale of women in politics.

“It is a very good one. I praise it. I appreciate it. I am really overwhelmed with such a decision. And it will go a long way in boosting the morale of women in terms of politics,” she said.

Andrew said the bill, when passed, must encompass all women, including women with disabilities.

“When we talk about women, it encompasses all women, whether with disability or not. But we should also be seen as human beings that can go in for any political position,” she said.

“They should not be discriminated upon. They should not be looked down upon. In fact, we can also contribute our quota as women. Even though with disabilities, don’t be surprised, we can do better.”

She said women with disabilities should be among the women to benefit from the reserved seats, and should not face discrimination in politics.

Andrew also supported calls by some women groups for the National Assembly to increase the number of reserved seats.

“Because all these years, it has been men that have been there. So if more women will come on board, it will go a long way in terms of proper solutions to most of the problems women are having in the country,” she said.

“Men always ask for more. It’s not too wrong if women are asking for more too.”

She advised women who eventually occupy the seats to perform well and justify the confidence reposed in them.

“Let us have women that will do well go into such positions. And let these women try to do better in order to let the men know that in the past, they’ve been making mistakes by not allowing women to contribute their quota,” she said.

“Let the world know that we have potential amongst women. We have women that can explore. We have women that God has placed in positions to be able to proffer solutions to the problem of this country.”

Andrew also urged women to support women in positions of leadership.

“We should not take it for granted. Let’s try our best and let women try to support women. We should try to support the women that have gotten the positions,” she said.

On Nasarawa State, where the House of Assembly has 24 seats, Andrew said the three seats that would be reserved for women under the proposal were not enough, considering the role women have played in politics since 1999.

“Not enough at all. It’s not enough. We should be given 14,” she said.

“Men have been there for long. It’s not that we cannot do without the men, so we want men to be there also. If not, I would have said it’s 24 for women.”

She said if women were given 14 seats and men 10 in Nasarawa State, governance in the state would improve.

“If at all we can be given 14, then the men 10, you will see how things will work out fine in Nasarawa State. There will be a tremendous solution to happenings in Nasarawa State,” she said.

“What is worth doing is worth doing well, and that is what we as women have to do,” she added.