The Delta State Government has called for the statutory inclusion of women in the leadership of community development associations in the state to ensure inclusivity in the operation of CDAs in localities.
The State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development Princess Pat Ajudua, stated this in Asaba, at an Enlightenment Campaign on the Delta State Regulation of Community Development Association Law of 2021.
Mrs. Ajudua said the ministry had invited the President Generals, Secretary Generals and Women representatives, to sensitize the community leaders on key aspects of the State Community Development Association Law of 2021.
The commissioner stressed the need for community development associations to include women in their leadership structure and to abide by the Community Development Association Law, aimed to ensure smooth operation of their activities and to prevent crisis in communities.
She said, “I urge you to continue to work together with the state government to build stronger, more resilient communities in Delta State.”
The Guest Speaker, Mrs Juliet Ojefia, who is a Director in the state Ministry of Justice,
pointed that all community associations must be registered with the Ministry of Women Affairs Community and Social Development, with their community constitution.
Mrs. Ojefia stressed, “if you have any issue in your community concerning the implementation of this law, the first place you should go to is the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development.”
Meanwhile, a woman leader Mrs Roseline Egbuche, and one of the President Generals Mr. Henry Uzor, made observations on aspects of the Community Development Association Law discussed during the enlightenment campaign.
Mrs Egbuche observed, “like they rightly said, women spices everything, because if there is a community, or there is anything they are doing without women is not done.”
While Mr. Uzor pointed, “Does the law permit a traditional ruler to say that an elected PG (President General) is no longer his PG, and appoint another one? The answer is that the law is inconsistent with that.”
Issues raised at the sensitization programme include instances of disputes between community association and traditional rulers, difference between registration with the ministry and the Corporate Affairs Commission and Women inclusion in community leadership.
