Bassey Otu commends governors’ wives for gender, health advocacy

Bassey Otu, governor of Cross River, has commended members of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum (NGSF) for their “transformative influence on the moral, social, and developmental architecture of the nation”.

Otu spoke on Friday when he received members of the forum, led by its chairperson and Kwara first lady, Olufolake AbdulRazaq, at the government house in Calabar.

The visit was part of the 2025 NGSF annual retreat, which concluded with a communiqué outlining new commitments to advance women’s and children’s welfare.

Describing women as “the true backbone of national development”, the governor said Nigeria’s progress depends on the active participation of women in governance and community building.

“No woman, no nation. It is very clear that this nation cannot move forward without women,” Otu said.

“My rise in politics has been largely attributed to the support of women, because when they take a decision, it is very difficult to change it.”

Highlighting Cross River’s six-month paid maternity leave for female civil servants as a model for gender-sensitive governance, the governor said the state had made significant strides in healthcare delivery and immunisation coverage.

“We have discovered that most maternal deaths occur at the primary healthcare level, so we are upscaling those facilities and training health workers to ensure better service delivery,” he said.

“Our goal is to make sure no mother or child dies from preventable causes.”

Otu also praised the first ladies for their humanitarian initiatives, describing them as “selfless architects of compassion whose impact transcends politics”, while commending Eyoanwan Otu, Cross River first lady, for aligning her programmes with the forum’s objectives.

“Nigeria is coming out of a dark age, and things are beginning to take shape again. We all must work together to build a better Nigeria,” he added.

In her remarks, AbdulRazaq thanked the governor for hosting the retreat and acknowledged his government’s efforts in healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

She recalled that the forum began as the Nigeria Governors’ Wives Against Gender-Based Violence (NGWA-GBV) before evolving into a broader platform for gender equality and family welfare.

“By ensuring equitable representation of women in legislative bodies, we open the door to policies that reflect the realities of half our population,” she said.

“When women lead, communities prosper; when women participate, societies grow stronger.”

She also lauded Cross River’s maternity leave policy and urged other south-south governors to emulate it, noting that the policy “strengthens family bonds and enhances workforce productivity”.

The retreat, attended by 22 first ladies, ended with a communiqué reaffirming the forum’s commitment to advancing women’s health, gender equity, and child welfare.

The first ladies resolved to sustain the fight against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), endorse the ‘Reserved Seat for Women Bill’, and intensify advocacy for six-month paid maternity leave across all states.

They further pledged to collaborate with donor partners, civil society organisations, and health agencies to reduce maternal mortality, strengthen immunisation coverage for HPV, measles, rubella, and hepatitis, as well as end child labour through partnership with the federal ministry of labour.

The forum also endorsed the 2026 RenewHER Roadmap Strategy, presented by the office of the senior special assistant to the president on women’s health, aimed at improving health outcomes for women and girls nationwide.