The Imo State government today, locked the government house gate against some Imo State women who came to express their solidarity to women all over the world, and demand for good governance.
The women under the aegis of Women Unite To Live Initiative, a non governmental organization, trooped out in their numbers to seek audience with the state governor today which is recognised as International Women’s Day. The women however, were met with stern looking security men at the gate who seemed to have taken order from inside to send the women away.
Some of the women who spoke to journalists around the government house gate said that they were informed by the security men that neither the governor nor any other government official was ready to receive them. According to the organization’s president, Comrade Mrs. Chika Nwachukwu, “we are here at the government house to celebrate women worldwide and also call for good governance but they told us at the gate that the governor is not around, the Chief of Staff is not around, in fact, that there is nobody in the government house to talk to us.”
The group which noted that the standard of living in the state has deteriorated, lamented that “there is no electricity, no health care, no water, no food. Women are dying”. They said they are calling for end of violence against women, free education for the female child, women empowerment and proper remuneration for men who are their husbands. They said that this will complement their programmes of going round the communities of the state to empower women through skills acquisition.
Also, in a written address they made available to journalists, the group called on the Federal Government to expedite actions towards the rescue of the abducted Chibok and Dapchi girls.
Today, March 8 is celebrated as International Women’s Day worldwide as it was declared by the United Nations in 1975.
One will wonder why a government will decide to treat women with disdain on day like this which they are being celebrated elsewhere in the world.
