By Mercy Aikoye
A public hearing on constitution review was held in Minna, Niger State, where women groups and organised labour made submissions to the Constitution Amendment Committee of the National Assembly. The hearing aimed to gather views from stakeholders on the proposed amendments to the 1999 Constitution.
Women groups demanded special seats in Parliament to increase female representation. Abaniwo Nathaniel, speaking on behalf of Women Participating in Politics, said, “Today, where we have our honourable members ably represented in this place, you will discover that there is no woman in their midst.”
The Coalition of Women Groups in Niger State also voiced their support for the proposed Bill. Deborah Salawu Zuma said, “We are supporting this bill because of the sad statistical records. In Nigeria, we have only 4.6% of women in Parliament.”
The women groups emphasized the importance of increased representation in Parliament. They believe that more women in Parliament will enable them to consult with one another and make a case for the less privileged women in Nigeria.
Organised labour in Niger State opposed the proposed transfer of labour matters from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list. Comrade Idrees AbdulKareem Lafene said, “Such a move would undermine the national minimum wage framework and violate international labour standards.”
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also advocated for a community-driven security structure to improve security. They emphasized the need for local government autonomy and equitable funding of primary schools.
A member of the Constitution Review Committee, Hon. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, assured that the Committee would judiciously use the inputs and submissions from the public. He commended the 10th House of Representatives for creating an opportunity for members of the public to share their views.
Hon. Doguwa emphasized the importance of public participation in the constitution review process. He said, “I believe this is a great opportunity that we extended to our people, the youth, women, and traditional institutions.”
The Constitution Review Committee member noted that the Constitution is meant for continuous review. He said, “The book we call the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, even though we call it a supreme document of our democracy, was not cast on stone.”
Hon. Doguwa assured that he has always been an advocate and a proponent of women’s voice. He said, “The voice of the woman has always been my voice.”
However, Hon. Doguwa expressed concern over the use of the word “Coalition” in the submission. He said, “If the keyword on your… is called Coalition, I am afraid, which type of Coalition are you talking about?”
The public hearing highlights the need for a more inclusive and effective governance system in Nigeria. The Constitution Review Committee has assured that the inputs and submissions from the public will be used to create a constitution that serves the needs of all Nigerians.
