By Abba Kabara, Gusau.
A women NGO group known as High Level Women Advocates (HILWA) has appealed to governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara state to facilitate the passage of the two bills before the State House of Assembly for the prohibition of girls’ hawking, especially during school hours.
Similarly, the group also urged the governor to facilitate another supporting bill seeking for thirty per cent inclusion of women in education decision making for the purpose of promoting women folks in the state.
The State Chairperson of the organisation, Hajiya Maryam Muhammad Na’Inna made the call during a courtesy call on the governor at the government house Gusau.
She said her organisation was at the Government House to express support for the governor Bello’s efforts in upgrading the state education sector to a satisfactory standard.
Maryam discloses that her organisation is committed at promoting increased access to quality education for children especially girls, through increased participation of women in education.
She reveals that her organisation is collaborating with UNICEF and Zamfara State Universal Basic Education Board for the training of over 20,000 mothers on basic skills on a campaign for enrollment of children in schools which has yielded positive results
In his response, governor Bello said female education will remain one of the top priorities of his administration especially the enrollment of out of school female child.
He said his administration will continue to lay great emphasis on providing quality education for female children and equip them with sound and quality teaching and learning facilities at all levels.
He noted that provision of quality female education is of greater value and benefit, considering the roles they play in the social and economic development of the society.
Matawalle views that educating a female is like educating the entire society, just as he promised to create a more enabling environment for women in the state in order to have access to quality education through partnership with education-based non-governmental organisations
He stressed that his administration will continue to welcome development partners that will advocate for more participation of women in education and the enrollment of girls in schools in the State.
Governor Matawalle then donated an 18-seater bus to the organisation and urged the members to continue with their crusade of mentoring women and girls in the education sector.
