By Tina George, Minna
Niger governor, Abubakar Sani-Bello has bemoaned the low level of participation of women in political processes and activities in the state.
Speaking in Minna at the Get Involved Leadership Training organized by the Lead Generation Initiative on Wednesday, the governor said that the state needed more women to participate in political processes.
According to him, the state had not achieved gender equality at the political level because of the unwillingness of women to participate in politics.
“There are very few ladies participating in the political process in Niger state. We need more women to participate in the political process.
“We are trying to be gender-sensitive. We need 40 per cent of women in elective offices and as political appointees.
“Women are the most reliable political officers. Women chop but they chop small because they remember others but the men, it is different because they will eat and take everything away including the plate. We must do something about women participation in the state,” Sani-Bello said.
The governor also urged the youths to get involved in political processes instead of staying on the sidelines to complain and criticize.
“As youths, show interest in what is happening in your various communities. participate in the political process. It is not enough to stay on the sidelines to complain and criticize, you must contribute your quota by actively participating in politics.
“The situation in Nigeria requires all of us to collectively join hands to fix Nigeria. Everyone, most especially the youths, needs to play their roles to move Nigeria forward. Stop folding your hands to watch without getting involved. Stop complaining and get involved.”
The governor applauded the lead Generation Initiative for coming up with the programme to encourage and motivate youths to get involved in the leadership process.
He expressed optimism that the programme would plant a seed that would spur the youths to actively participate in political processes.
In his address, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Shina Peller said the youths needed to get informed, show interest in national discourse and shatter the thinking that leadership is for only the elders.
He said that the Get Involved Leadership Programme was being formed to breed a new generation of leaders that will take active responsibility for leadership in their various communities through active participation in the social political process.
“We cannot be successful until the youths contribute their quota in leadership. We can’t be successful if we are not actively involved in politics and nation-building
“We have broken the stereotype and shatter the thinking glass ceiling that leadership is only meant for the elderly. We as the youths need to have adequate representation in leadership. We deserve to have a seat at the place where the decision is made.”
He said that the training in Niger state is the 5th edition, which would train over 100 state representatives in the state who will in turn train the local government representatives.
Peller, who represents Iseyin/ Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa Federal Constituency in the House of Representative, said that the programme would train young leaders in effective leadership skill, strategic communication, political participation, active citizenship, and nation-building.
