From Umar Dankano, Yola
A capacity-building workshop focused on administrative and leadership skills has been conducted for 21 newly elected female vice chairpersons in Adamawa State.
The one-day training, organized by the Garga Foundation in collaboration with the Adamawa Concerned Women in Politics (ACWIP), aimed to enhance efficient and effective local government administration in the state.
In her welcome address, Rukayya Aminu Muhammad, Program Manager of the Garga Foundation, commended Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s administration for its commitment to gender inclusion, recognizing the governor’s efforts in providing women with opportunities to serve in leadership roles.
Muhammad noted that the program was supported by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), USAID, and UKAID. She emphasized that the newly inaugurated vice chairpersons would gain essential leadership and administrative skills needed for good governance.
“This training aligns with our mission to strengthen women’s rights and political participation. We are thrilled to see vice chairpersons from all 21 local government areas dedicated to advancing grassroots leadership,” she said.
Addressing the participants, the Majority Leader of the State Assembly, Hon. Kate Mamuno, encouraged them to apply the skills learned from the experts during the workshop.
She highlighted the significance of women’s inclusion in governance and shared her intention to sponsor a legislative bill that would mandate a woman to serve as Deputy Governor.
Mamuno also acknowledged that both the Deputy Governor and the State Chief Judge are currently women, praising the executive’s commitment to gender equality.
In her remarks, Hajiya Zainab Abubakar, President of ACWIP, expressed optimism about the training’s impact, stating that it would sharpen the vice chairpersons’ leadership skills and help bridge the gender gap in governance.
“Adamawa women are resilient, and today marks another step toward breaking barriers in leadership,” she remarked.
Seray Jah, Country Director of IFES, congratulated the vice chairpersons and encouraged them to embrace their roles as ambassadors for women in leadership. Jah applauded Adamawa’s progress in promoting women’s participation in politics and governance.
The training covered key topics such as governance, transparency, and community engagement, and is seen as a significant step toward achieving more inclusive and effective local government administration in Adamawa State.