Sen. Oduah urges women to aspire to leadership positions

Sen. Stella Oduah (Anambra North) has urged Nigerian women to aspire to leadership positions to enable them to actively participate in the country’s decision making process.

Oduah, who is the Vice Chairman, Committee on Women Affairs, made the call during budget presentation by the Ministry of Women Affairs in Abuja on Thursday.

She said women ought to occupy leadership positions in the country in view of their roles in national development.

She, therefore, urged women in leadership positions to carry others along, noting that “it is necessary to incorporate women into governance at all levels. We need women at the mainstream sectors and we need to ensure that women are part of this entity called Nigeria.

“If we neglect them, the nation could be handicapped because women have the requisite skills to move any nation forward.

“I believe that we should move beyond empowering women to allowing them to also empower the society.

“I want all the women in leadership positions to know that it is our responsibility to unlock women potential.’’

The lawmaker emphasised the need to make programmes and trainings all-embracing by involving girls and women in rural areas.

She said that the schemes used in the Women Training Centres (WTCs) in the country should be improved upon, while exploring other means through which the girl-child would be effectively empowered.