Bala-Usman Urges Women to Assert Leadership Rights, Decries Discriminatory Workplace Policies
The Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman, has called on women in public office and leadership positions to assert their rights and resist intimidation, stressing the need for greater inclusion and equality in governance.
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Bala-Usman made the call on Monday while delivering a keynote address at an International Women’s Day event organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations at the National Counter Terrorism Centre.
She emphasised that women must actively claim their space in leadership rather than wait for opportunities to be handed to them. According to her, leadership positions are not given freely but must be earned and asserted with confidence and competence.
“We are equal stakeholders. You are not doing me a favour by letting me in. I’ve paid my dues,” she said, urging women to pursue leadership roles and challenge barriers within their organisations.
Drawing from her experience as the first female Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Bala-Usman recounted confronting what she described as an outdated policy that denied maternity leave to unmarried women. She criticised the policy as discriminatory and called for the removal of workplace practices that undermine women’s rights.
“Bearing a child has nothing to do with marital status. These are the kinds of policies that must be abolished,” she stated, adding that organisations must review and reform rules that limit women’s participation and recognition.
Also speaking at the event, Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas highlighted the importance of women in national development, noting that no society can progress beyond the value it places on its women.
Kefas said empowering women strengthens families, stabilises communities, and drives national growth. He added that his administration has prioritised placing women in key leadership positions, not as symbolic figures but as active contributors to governance and development.
He further urged stakeholders to create more platforms for women to lead and to normalise female leadership across sectors, describing it as a strategic necessity for Nigeria’s future rather than an act of charity.
The event brought together policymakers, communication experts, and development stakeholders, with a shared focus on advancing gender equality and strengthening women’s roles in leadership and decision-making across the country.
Bala-Usman Urges Women to Assert Leadership Rights, Decries Discriminatory Workplace Policies