I commend Gov. Ishaku for appointing more women in his administration -NAWOJ President

EMMANUEL AWARI, Jalingo

The National President, Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Comrade Ladi Bala, has appreciated Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku of Taraba State for appointing women into his administration.

She gave the commendation during the opening of a Three-Day Training on Gender Equity, Gender Sensitive Reporting For Women Journalists, held at the Gym Hall Jolly Nyame Stadium, Jalingo, the state capital.

“The choice of Taraba State for the Training is deliberate for reasons such as the state has many women in higher positions, Good leadership and more.  You can see that the number one civil servant (Head of State Civil Service) of the state is a woman”, she said.

She also appreciated the Wife of the Governor, Anna Ishaku, for championing the plight of Women and Youths through the Hope Afresh Foundation.

“I want NAWOJIANS in the State to support Her Excellency, since she has taken the right step, she needs to be supportive. I want to urge women to live by example in any position that they found yourselves.

“You should show up your leadership qualities wherever you are. You should ensure that every girl or woman is safe and educated.

She pointed out that no equity in the media for women journalists, adding that they are only assigned to cover places or issues that are not necessary.

“They are being discriminated against simply because they are women despite her professional experience.

She called on women journalists to take advantage of the training so as to improve on their reportage and urged the participants to relate the message to others.

“You should also train others that were not opportune to be selected for the training.”, she added.

In her remarks, Mrs. Anna Darius Ishaku admonished the women journalists to ensure that they educate the world on gender equity and gender-based violence through reportage.

The workshop with the theme: “Gender Equity And Safety/Gender Sensitive Reporting For Women Journalists” being the first of its kind, drew participants from all NUJ Chapels in the state including National officers of the association.

The wife of the Governor, Her Excellency, Barr. Anna Darius affirmed that the state has women that have a great passion for redefining the narrative of unionism in Nigeria.

She applauded the effort of the national officials of the association under the leadership of Comrade Ladi Bala, for bringing the training to Taraba and stressed the need for women journalists to get involved through training and reporting events which the public can comprehend and act to ascertain maximum balanced in their reportage.

Barrister Anna Darius Ishaku, however, encouraged women journalists to participate and get involved through training to fit in especially in an endemic state with a lot of violence and trafficking to obliterate the menace.

In his address, Taraba State Commissioner for information and Reorientation, Barr. Danjuma Adamu, described the event as unique been it the first of its kind since the creation of the state in 1991.

He also encouraged women journalists to be vibrant as they learn the skills of reporting in the challenging society of the 21st century.

Barrister Danjuma Adamu also called on States Governors to emulate Governor Darius Ishaku, who is a gender-sensitive governor who has given prominent positions to women in the state such as Commissioners, Judges, and heads of Civil Service as well as at the local government level.

The image maker of the state government, Adamu, further revealed that the Governor has also directed that all Secretaries of the 16 local governments should be women, a policy that had been faithfully implemented.

Also speaking, the NAWOJ state Chairperson, Mrs. Hilda Adebayo, appreciated the wife of the Governor for being a mother who always supports and encourages them on the need to use the powers of their pen to educate and fight women’s rights to have a better society.

Mrs. Adebayo noted that the training would equip women journalists to be highly functional in society in terms of dealing with their reportage.

“NAWOJ and the Northern Union of Journalists stressed the crippled nature of gender disparities among the journalists, socially constructed role of gender, carrying all along in terms of sensitivity and safety of women in journalism. The three-day training was meant to enhance advocacy especially for women journalists”, the Chairperson added.

Our correspondent observed that the NAWOJ National President was received among other members of the association by the Vice President, North East Zone, Comrade Docas, the zonal Secretary, Comrade Tani, stakeholders such as Comrade Elizabeth Smith and Comrade Lydia Kurutsi as well as all Chairpersons and Secretaries of various chapels in the state.

Also, prominent guests at the event were the state Head of Service, Madam Suzy Nathan, the President of the National Council of Women’s Society (NCWS), and the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Taraba State Council, Comrade David Nyah, among other dignitaries.

For a better society