The Federal Government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to continue to support and facilitate major developmental projects in Cross River State, including the multi-billion naira Bakassi Deep Seaport and the ambitious Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.

The assurance was given by the Federal Government as part of its broader commitment to accelerate infrastructural development, boost economic activities and enhance connectivity across the coastal regions of the country, particularly in the South-South geopolitical zone.

The Bakassi Deep Seaport, which is a flagship project of the Cross River State Government, is expected to serve as a major maritime hub for the import and export of goods, create thousands of jobs and significantly boost the internally generated revenue of the state and the country at large.

Similarly, the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which is one of the legacy projects of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, is designed to connect Lagos to Calabar, traversing several coastal states, and is expected to open up the coastal corridor for trade, tourism and industrialization.

The Federal Government noted that the completion of these projects will not only transform the economic landscape of Cross River State but will also have a multiplier effect on the economy of the entire South-South and South-West regions, by facilitating movement of goods and persons.

Meanwhile, in a separate development aimed at deepening democracy and promoting inclusive governance, the National Assembly has proposed the creation of 74 additional seats exclusively reserved for women in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Under the proposal, which is part of the ongoing constitution amendment process, there will also be three reserved seats for women in each State House of Assembly across the 36 states of the federation, as a deliberate measure to increase women’s participation in Nigerian politics.

The proposal, which has already generated widespread reactions across the country, is aimed at addressing the age-long gender imbalance in the political space and ensuring that women are given greater opportunity to contribute to governance and national development.

According to the proposed legislation, the additional seats will be contested for and occupied exclusively by women, thereby guaranteeing a minimum level of representation for women in the legislative arm of government at both federal and state levels.

The move is seen as a bold and progressive step towards achieving gender equality in politics, as women have over the years been grossly underrepresented in elective positions despite constituting about half of the country’s population.

Reacting to the proposal, public affairs analyst, Mr. Ekemini Udim, welcomed the development, describing it as a timely, commendable and long-overdue intervention that will help to correct the historical injustice against women in the political arena.

Mr. Udim noted that longstanding cultural, social, economic and political practices, including patriarchy, stigmatization, high cost of electioneering campaigns and party structures skewed against women, have made it extremely difficult for women to secure political positions in Nigeria.

He explained that many women who have the capacity, competence and desire to serve have been systematically edged out of the political process by these entrenched barriers, and therefore the reservation of seats will provide a level playing field for them to showcase their leadership potentials.

The public affairs analyst described the proposal by the National Assembly as a significant step towards addressing gender inequality, promoting inclusive governance and ensuring that the voices, perspectives and interests of women are adequately represented in law-making and decision-making processes.

Also reacting to the development, another respondent, Miss Favour Ayomide, said although there has been a noticeable increase in the participation of women in politics and public affairs in recent times, their numbers in elective positions still remain abysmally low and unacceptable.

Miss Ayomide pointed out that in the current National Assembly, women occupy less than 10 per cent of the seats, a situation which she said does not reflect the numerical strength, capacity and contributions of women to national development.

She argued that for Nigeria to achieve sustainable development and genuine democracy, women must be given more space and opportunity to participate actively in politics, not just as voters and campaigners but also as candidates and office holders.

The respondents, however, stressed that beyond merely increasing the number of women in political offices through reserved seats, concerted attention must also be given to ensuring that women who occupy such positions have the capacity, competence and opportunity to contribute meaningfully to governance.

They noted that affirmative action should go beyond tokenism and should be complemented with capacity building, mentorship, financial support and creation of an enabling environment that will empower women to perform effectively when elected into office.

According to them, there is also the need for political parties to reform their internal structures and processes to be more women-friendly, and for the society to change its perception about women’s role in politics and leadership, if the goal of gender equality must be achieved.

They further called on women themselves to take advantage of the proposed legislation to organize, mobilize and prepare themselves adequately for leadership responsibilities, by acquiring relevant education, skills and experience needed for effective representation.

Meanwhile, civil society organizations and women advocacy groups have also commended the National Assembly for the proposal, describing it as a welcome development that will deepen democracy, promote gender justice and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 which borders on gender equality.

As the debate over the proposal continues, stakeholders have urged the National Assembly to ensure its speedy passage and implementation, while also calling on state governments, political parties and other relevant institutions to put in place measures that will ensure its effectiveness and sustainability in the long run.