The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has congratulated women on the anniversary of the International Women’s Day, IWD, that is celebrated every year on March 8.

Governor Abdulrazaq said Kwara state, under him will remain a record holder and positive reference point in gender inclusion in public service.

In a statement commemorating the IWD, the Governor reiterated his position that women are half of the human community and should have a befitting place at the table where decisions affecting them and their families are made.

“I join leaders across the world to congratulate our women on this day. Whether as mothers, wives, or girl-children, women are unique in their being great teachers, pillars of support, balancers, and critical team players in every family and organisation. No society can achieve sustainable growth without according women their pride of place. This is why Kwara has created a niche for itself as the prime promoter of gender parity in governance.

“I especially celebrate the great amazons in our administration who have defied all odds to contribute their quota to the development of our state on the back of their intellect, hard work, and team spirit,” the Governor said.

He shocked bookmakers in 2019 when he appointed a female majority cabinet (56.25%) to compensate for his party having an all-male elected officials in government, a feat he consolidated with the enactment of a law that secures at least 35% affirmative action for every government appointment in the state, the firs of such legislation in Nigeria.

The Governor has also appointed at least 50% female as permanent secretaries in what was another first in the history of the state.

Kwara APC that he leads now has five female candidates for the March 11 House of Assembly polls, the highest female candidature in this election cycle by any major political party in Nigeria.

AbdulRazaq has won laurels at different fora for his gender mainstreaming policy, including from the United Nations and other development bodies, while Kwara now attracts various initiatives and supports on account of that.

Drawing on Kwara’s efforts in gender inclusion, the Nigerian Government has enlisted the state to the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, AGILE project.

The enlistment of Kwara, according to a correspondence signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew David Adejo, is pegged on its meeting the eligibility criteria as stipulated in the guidelines of the Ministry and the World Bank.