Reps Task Women Affairs Ministry on Gender Equality, Women’s Rights

The House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development has urged the Ministry of Women Affairs to fully implement its mandate on gender equality, women’s rights, and welfare.

Chairman of the
Committee, Kafilat Ogbara gave the charge during an oversight meeting with Women Affairs Minister Imaan Suleman Ibrahim at the National Assembly

The session reviewed the ministry’s 2024 budget allocations, releases and spending.

Ogbara said the committee’s responsibility was to ensure transparency, accountability and effective use of public funds.

“This is not merely a procedural exercise; it is a vital opportunity to ensure that our financial commitments translate into meaningful outcomes for women and girls,

“The budget is not just a document of figures; it reflects our values as a society.” she said

She said the committee would focus on budget releases, expenditure and utilization, stressing that delays in fund disbursement undermine programmes in health, education, economic empowerment and protection from violence.

Responding, the minister highlighted operational hurdles, including outdated policies, weak guidelines and insufficient funding.

Ibrahim noted that women and girls constitute a significant population and require focused support to contribute to national development.

She said the ministry had set up a committee to review relevant laws for onward transmission to the National Assembly.

The minister also cited frequent administrative changes, poor coordination among development partners and duplication of interventions as major challenges.

“The whole space is contaminated. Development partners are not helping. We cannot track where funds are going,” she said.

Ibrahim added that the ministry received 99% of its overhead and personnel allocations for 2024 but only 6.9% of its capital funds.

For the 2025 budget, she said the ministry received 13.4% of overhead, 79.9% of personnel cost and 0.1% of capital releases.

She expressed readiness to work with lawmakers to design a budget that reflects national priorities for women.

Oduyemi Odumade, Edited By Grace Namiji