Women in Bayelsa have been advised to participate fully in political activities and governance in order to draw attention to issues affecting them and put in place policies that will favour women folks.
Bayelsa State first lady Dr Mrs Gloria Diri gave the advice in Yenagoa at the 2023 Bayelsa State Trade Union Congress Women Commission program.
The first lady said the days where women take the back seat in politics was over and that it is time for them to contest in elective positions stating that women should not be at the back seat of governance.
While commending TUC Bayelsa for the initiative, she noted that she was happy to see a female in the national Assembly for Bayelsa State, urging them to prepare their minds for leadership and not to be taken unawares when called upon.
She explained that in order to achieve an attitudinal change towards women, the female folks themselves need to get involved in all aspects of the electoral process through independent actions.
The first lady,therefore, asked the women to rise up to the occasion to form a strong bond, speak in one voice, network and promote awareness to get more women involved.
In a remark, chairman of the Trade Union Congress Bayelsa State Council, Comrade Laye Julius, said the essence of the program was to get civil servants involved in the electoral process rather than sitting down at home to get election results on television on election day.
He opined that if a bad leader is elected, civil servants would be the first casualty of the government when salaries and welfare of workers are not given priority, urging them not to see politics as a game for men alone.
The TUC Boss pointed out that the program was a melting point to bring civil servants together because the majority of workers do not know themselves and that the society is incomplete without women.
Also, Chairperson of the TUC Women Commission, Bayelsa State, Dr Doris Atibinye Dotimi, noted that women play a significant role in shaping, uplifting and bringing tremendous changes in society, stressing that there is a growing recognition of untapped capacity of women’s leadership.
She explained that women underrepresentation constitutes a serious democratic deficit which undermines the legitimacy of contemporary democratic ideas, pointing out that in the last two decades women representation in politics has failed to increase .
Dr Dotimi maintained that women participation in politics would help to break gender stereotypes, and their leadership can help to bring about a more peaceful and stable world, noting that women political participation was essential for a healthy democracy.
In special goodwill messages Head of Service Bar Biobelemonye Charles-Onyema represented by permanent Secretary Establishment Training and Bureau Office of the Head of Service Mrs Ekinabhari Stephanie, president Izon Ladies Association Dame Grace Timi-Fiepere and chairperson Nigerian Association of Women Journalists NAWOJ Mrs Grace Orumieyefa, hinted that women in politics would help to advance gender equality.
The highpoint of the event was a paper presentation by the guest speaker Mrs Margaret Dudafa-Inokoba with the theme “Women Participation in Politics”.