Reps probe ‘plan’ to halt admission of female cadets into NDA

The house of representatives has started a probe on the alleged move to halt admission of female cadets into the combatant course of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA).

The lower legislative chamber also asked the armed forces council to increase the number of female cadets admitted into NDA.

A PUNCH report quoted by TheCable had said northern Muslim leaders were lobbying the council to stop the admission of female cadets.

But the NDA had responded, saying female cadets were still being trained for combat.

While moving a motion on the matter on Wednesday, Omosede Igbinedion, a lawmaker from Edo state, said section 42(1) of the constitution prohibits discriminatory practices against any person on the basis of sex.

She said Nigeria is a signatory to the 1995 Beijing declaration on the support of gender equality and empowerment of woman of women.

“Affirmative action means positive steps be taken to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education and all such other areas form which they have been historically been excluded,” the lawmaker said.

“The Nigerian Defence Academy admitted the first set of 20 female cadets into the regular combatant commission which will afford the cadets the opportunity to aspire to head any of the armed services in the future.

“The PUNCH newspaper of Monday 13 November 2017 captioned ‘Military to stop admission of combatant female cadets’ which if true amounts to a major policy reversal of monumental proportion and set back because scraping the course for women will deny them the opportunity of heading any arm of the Nigerian military.

“That institutions are usually established to promote the provisions of the constitution and not breach them as the move to end the admission of female cadets seem to suggest.”

The house adopted the motion after it was put to a voice vote by Yusuf Lasun, deputy speaker.

The house committees on defence, army, navy and air force are to investigate the matter and report back in four weeks for further legislative action.