Women folk’ll do more in next 50yrs to advance Lagos ―Mrs Ambode

Wife of Lagos state governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, said the next 50 years will witness the womenfolk doing more to further strengthen the position of Lagos as Nigeria’s economic hub, even as she acknowledged the roles women had played in politics, business, commerce and in different professions.

Mrs Ambode made this remark while speaking at a a symposium organised by Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) in Lagos, as part of events to mark the 50th anniversary of the state.

The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Aderanti Adebule; Senator representing Lagos Central in the National Assembly, Oluremi Tinubu; president, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Chief Mrs Nike Akande; special assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Diapora matters, hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, among others.

Speaking at the event with the theme: “The contribution of women to the development of Lagos in the past 50 years,” Mrs Ambode expressed confidence that women in Lagos would work towards accomplishing that goal, promising that the state government was poised to do more, to assist the state maintain its position in the federation as first among equals.

We wish to assure that the women of Lagos State will not draw back. We are determined to do more, to help the state maintain its position in the federation as first among equals,” she said.

The deputy governor, Dr Adebule, in her remark, said the 50th anniversary of the state presented an avenue for women to take stock and challenge themselves to do more especially by supporting programmes and policies of government geared towards further developing the state.

Adebule assured that the state government on its part would not relent but continue to provide the necessary opportunities in order to ensure that more women could be actively involved in the process of governance, politics and decision making that would make life worthwhile for all in the state.

“We will also ensure that women’s interest, welfare and safety are guaranteed and given top priority to ensure continued participation in governance,” she said.

Speaking also, Senator Tinubu, said notwithstanding the progress so far made in Lagos, more could still be done to advance the course of women and society.

“We still have a large number of our women without access to advanced education and there are women desperately in need of support to lift them out of poverty and degrading relationships.

“We must intensify our advocacy work and devise a holistic strategy to equip women to become even more relevant to the progress of Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole,” Tinubu said.