The National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) has lauded the House of Representatives for passing the Bill which seeks to amend the Federal Character Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010.
The amended Act gives married women options of indigeneship among others.
The National President, NCWS, Mrs Gloria Shoda, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday that the amendment aimed at removing the discrimination against women.
She said “On behalf of Nigerian women, we will like to applaud our lawmakers for passing the amendment which will remove the discriminatory piece of legislation against us.
“With this amendment, women will no longer lose out on their due promotions and other benefits in states where they serve as public and civil servants.
“You will recall in Nov. 2012, the infamous case in which a Court of Appeal Judge, Justice Ifeoma Jombo-Ofo, had her swearing-in ceremony delayed, due to a petition raised in her state of service.
“Jombo-Ofo is originally from Anambra, but married a man from Abia. She was being denied a career move because the petitioner objected to her receiving Abia State’s slot in the Appellate Court.
“This was allowed because Section 2, Part 2 of the existing Federal Character Commission Act, 2010 stated that “A married women shall continue to lay claim to her state of origin.
“However, the amendment will allow a married woman to have option to claim her state or local government for the purpose of implementation of the Federal Character formula at the national or state level.
“That portion of the law discriminated against married women because it discouraged them from serving in their husband’s state, but with this amendment, this will no longer be the case.
“We are pleased that the spirit of fair play and justice has prevailed in this new piece of legislation,’’ she said.
Shoda said that the NCWS also would like to thank Hon. Edward Pwajok (SAN) for his persistence in ensuring the amendment of the act.
She said that the amendment had gone into the annals of legislative history, adding that married women would no longer be apprehensive about working in their husband’s state.
“There will be freedom to choose with no restrictions whatsoever. This will also further encourage inter-ethnic marriages among our youths and cement national integration as a whole.
