There’s weak investment in Nigerian women, says Opeyemi Bamidele

Opeyemi Bamidele, majority leader of the senate, has raised concern over weak investment in Nigerian women.

In a message to commemorate the 2024 International Women’s Day, Bamidele said women inclusion in both private and public sectors is still low.

He said this has hindered the possibility of achieving the fifth agenda of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

“Inspite of the fact that we are six years away to achieve bridging the gap between men and women, Nigeria is still confronted with under- representation both in the corporate and public sectors,” Bamidele said.

“Women hold only 3.4 percent of federal legislative seats – four are 109 senators and 14 out of 360 members of the house of representatives.

“Across all sectors, women inclusion is largely low in Nigeria whether in the corporate world or public sector.

“All these figures attest weak investment in women and eclipse the possibility of achieving the fifth agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals.

“The fifth agenda mandates the world leaders to invest in initiatives and programmes that bring about gender equality be 2030.

“2030 is just six years away, and we are still confronted with ugly indices that remind us of the widening gap between men and women.”

The senate leader said the national assembly acknowledges that women inclusion in governance is pivotal to achieving sustainable development in Nigeria.

He added that gender inclusiveness is at the core of the revised legislative agenda of the 10th senate.