DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION CENTRE HAS ADVOCATED FOR EFFECTIVE LEGISLATION AS THE PANACEA FOR WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE AND DECISION MAKING IN NIGERIA
The 34th Convention of Development Education Centre, DEC, Enugu held at the corporate headquarters of this highly reputable organization on the 16th day of December 2022 was indeed an epic making event that attracted major stakeholders, esteemed guests, participants, students, media and friends of the organization from far and wide, especially, from all the states of the South East and Kogi and Benue from the North Central States of Nigeria.
Other dignitaries that graced the occasion are the Traditional rulers of DEC partnering communities with their female members of the Cabinet and other esteemed guests as well.
In his opening remark, the Chairman of the occasion, who is also the Chairman Dec. Board of Directors, Chief Emeka Odo, while welcoming the guests and participants noted with nostalgia that Development Education Centre, Enugu found in 1986 as a non-governmental organization has been outstanding in the pursuit and delivery of its core mission and mandate of developing and empowering numerous communities especially the poor and vulnerable women through education on the rights of women and inclusive governance in community decision making bodies, promoting access to quality health care, skills acquisition and entrepreneurial development and access to financial facilities to women for their economic development in her areas of operation. He revealed that in the past 34 years, DEC has grown in leaps and bounds, thus emerging as the biggest and most reputable NGO not only in South East of Nigeria but also in Kogi and other surrounding States.
While describing DEC as a frontline Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in Enugu, Development Education Centre (DEC), is saddled with the responsibility of empowering women towards self-reliance for socio-economic emancipation. He went further to pay glowing tribute to the indefatigable Executive Director of DEC Dr. Cecilia Asogwa for her doggedness, courage, honesty and commitment in taking the organization to enviable heights through its promotion of access to quality healthcare service, provision of education to indigents students and promotion of skill acquisition and entrepreneurial for out of school female youths and community based young mothers and award of scholarships to hundreds of drop-out of school female girl children and indigent students to go back to school to complete their education up to WAEC Level. The chairman of the Board of Directors of DEC Enugu Chief Emeka Odo used the opportunity to appreciate the Trustees of Sir Fidelis Asogwa Education Foundation through the Fidelis Chukwuma Asogwa Education Foundation who gave Bursary Awards to over 600 indigent but intelligent students of Nsukka cultural zone in Tertiary education to continue their schooling in memory of Sir Fidelis Chukwuma Asogwa a renowned educationist and philanthropic.
In her welcome address, the Executive Director, Development Education Centre, DEC, Enugu, DR. CECILIA ASOGWA explained that the 34th Annual Convention provided the opportunity to present the progress report and future plans for the incoming year, 2023. She stated that though DEC made tremendous progress in several areas of her operation but that the Sit-at-home and insecurity in the South East and other parts of Nigeria negatively impacted on the programmes of the organization in the out-going year.
On DEC Policy Thrust, she revealed that 20 out of 25 communities partnering with DEC on programme of Inclusive Governance Structure since 2017 to date have officially instituted women as members of Igwe or Eze’s Cabinet, Town Development Unions, Vigilante or Neighborhood watch groups; adding that there are serious plans in line with the Memorandum of Understanding signed by stakeholders of DEC partnering communities and DEC to ensure that the issue of women in community governance structure are well established in each Town Union or community Development Association Constitution governing the community. She expressed delight that the laudable intervention has brought significant changes in those communities concerned, because women active participation in the traditional ruler’s council has made their male counterparts to appreciate their worth and contribution; insisting that DEC will not relent in her commitment to bringing about more positive changes through the instrumentality of having women in the community governance structure.
On the need for more women in politics and governance in Nigeria, Dr. Asogwa called for more participation of women in politics and governance through deliberate legislation through the Nigeria Constitution that would specify that a specific number of seats be set aside for women, starting from the Ward, Local and State levels, and to the National Assembly. She added that the seats allocated to women politicians should be contested for by women in all political parties; urging government, politicians and political parties to demonstrate strong political will to achieve this.
Speaking further Dr. Asogwa stated DEC would study the manifestoes of political parties, especially those that have created a space to discuss women issues in their manifestoes as it affect human capital development; adding that only those individuals and candidates that have shown interest in the women CHARTER OF DEMAND that will be seriously considered when the time for election comes.
In their separate goodwill messages, Royal fathers, representatives of the women from Abia, Kogi and Benue and Enugu State commended the Executive Director of DEC, Dr. Asogwa and its Board for the objectives of the NGO in empowering women, saying that they are impressed with the good works of the NGO.
Some of the highlights of the event include the presentation of award of Scholarship to 100 indigent girl children from Enugu, Kogi Benue and Abia states to continue their education till WAEC level, Presentation of proficiency and starter pacts to 50 skills acquisition graduates of DEC skills acquisition and entrepreneurial development to take off with their learned skills, presentation of award to Ojioforgala Women group as the best performed group in taking the highest loan and repaying as and when due, amongst other prizes and presentation to deserving students and participants.