Plateau Head of Service (HoS), Mrs Rauta Dakok, has said Gov. Caleb Mutfwang has appointed many women and youths into key positions within a short of his administration.
Dakok stated this on Thursday in Jos, at the opening of the National Women Commission of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE) zonal educational program.
The HoS, who was represented by Mr Isaac Maram, Permanent Secretary Establishment and Labour Matters, Office of the Head of Service, said that Mutfwang was passionate about women and youth empowerment.
“If you look at the appointments at the political level of commissioners, and at the bureaucratic level of permanent secretaries, quite a chunk of women were represented.
“And he is not done yet, because he will reel out more appointments soon, and he told us that the bulk of the appointments will be women and youths,” she stated.
Dakok commended AUPCTRE national women commission over the choice of the program’s theme; “Advancing Women Participation in Trade Unionism at the Workplace”, which she described as apt.
The HoS charged women, especially civil servants, to always update their knowledge, adding that education was key to success.
Mrs Comfort Otobo, National Chairperson, National Women Commission of AUPCTRE, in her remarks, said that one of the main objectives of the union, as enshrined in its constitution, was to educate members.
Otobo said that the commission was fully aware of the fact that knowledge was the key to development of society, and so the commission had set out to ensure the education of its members by facilitating trainings for them.
“By the grace of God, the next training shall capture the state chairpersons and secretaries of the women commission, since the participants for this first phase is for the national executives, as well as zonal chairpersons and secretaries.
“The commission urges all participants to make this program businesslike, by being attentive and actively taking part in the activities lined up for the program,” she advised.
AUPCTRE President, Mr Benjamin Anthony, on his part, said the theme of the one-day education program was carefully chosen at a period when women were facing challenges, both a home and in the workplace.
Anthony said that the union members needed to be exposed to issues that would promote gender equality and equity, which should not be compromised.
“Women need to be empowered at workplaces, thus, the need for gender mainstreaming.
“Learning is a continuous process with consistent understanding of various environments we find ourselves, and so in our determination to create responsive awareness within the rank and file of our members, this administration has made education a priority.
“Consequent upon this resolve, the national secretariat is determined to continuously provide education materials to any arm or organ of the union that shows interest in educating our members,’’ he said.
