Coalition of concerned Civil Society Organisation of Nigeria called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reconsider the appointment of two male Ministers to lead the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The coalition made this known on Saturday at a press conference held in Kaduna .
The coalition expressed concern that the appointments of Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda and Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu as the senior and junior ministers, respectively, may undermine effective service delivery in the ministry.
Aminu Arabi, the coalition’s national coordinator, argued that the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs is better suited to be led by a woman, citing the importance of gender representation and the unique empathy women can bring to such a role.
“It is unacceptable that both the senior and junior ministers are male,” Arabi said, adding that the coalition believes a woman in the role would pay more attention to the plight of Nigeria’s less privileged.
The coalition criticized the current appointees, stating that Yilwatda’s background in computer science lacks the necessary humanitarian experience
He said while Dr. Sununu’s tenure in the Ministry of Education had been largely unremarkable.
They argued that these appointments fall short of meeting the nation’s pressing needs, particularly as citizens grapple with the consequences of subsidy removal and inflation.
The coalition appealed to both President Tinubu and the First Lady to prioritize female leadership within the Ministry and support the inclusion of more women in the cabinet
They emphasized that women’s empowerment aligns with the administration’s goals under the renewed hope agenda.
The group believes this approach would foster better outcomes for Nigerians facing economic hardship.