Civil Society Organizations in Akwa Ibom State have urged the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel to revisit the recent merger of the Ministry of Agriculture with Women Affairs.
Addressing a press conference in Uyo on Friday, Chairman of the group, Mr. Harry Udoh flanked by other stakeholders in the sector congratulated Mr. Udom Emmanuel on his reelection as Governor of Akwa Ibom State; and the newly appointed members of State Executive Council.
Udoh decried the merger of the Ministry of Women Affairs with Agriculture, urging the Governor Udom to revisit it. He cited Agriculture as a priority sector that required utmost attention, not only at the national level but also in Akwa-Ibom, as a predominantly agrarian state and one that has its sights set on economic diversification and industrialization.
He commended the Governor for the creation of the Ministry of Labour and Manpower Planning, describing it as a good step towards meeting the industrialization agenda of the administration.
He revealed that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare as previously constituted was responsible for social inclusion programming, especially with regards to children and Persons With Disabilities.
“The merger throws the social development function of the ministry below the radar, leaving the teeming masses of vulnerable children and PWDs without an official address in government. The action could inadvertently portray the government as one that undervalues women, children and Persons With Disabilities”, he said.
“The Akwa Ibom State CSO Forum as the umbrella group of civil society organizations in Akwa-Ibom State, deems it a matter of duty to respond to this development and appeal to the government to effect a reversal to a stand-alone Ministry of Agriculture to give the sector the serious attention that it deserves” he said.
In his words, the Executive Director of Policy Alert, Tijah Bolton-Akpan reiterated his earlier stand that the ministry of women affairs remains the ministry for gender mainstreaming across the different MDA’s as well the focal point for the national gender machinery. He also explained that the process is a breach to the appropriation law as it would create difficulties in budget tracking and also inadvertently expose the state to certain difficulties in accessing funds from international partners urging government to open up a conversational window to address the issues surrounding the recent merger.
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