By Yahaya Idris, Lokoja.

On International worker’s Day, Hon. Aishat Blessing Ekele, the Vice Chairman of Olamaboro local government of Kogi State, has paid tribute to the tremendous efforts made by Nigerian workforce most especially the women folks.

The Vice Chairman in a statement on Sunday evening made available to newsmen in Lokoja, the State capital recognize and salute all working women, those working on the frontline and those shouldering an unprecedented services to the country and Kogi State in particular.

Mrs Ekele while congratulating workers on a milestone recorded over the years, also called on Nigerian women to join politics as to render more services to the nation.

She lamented that women have also experienced more violence and harassment in their day to day routine while seeking for their daily breads.

She said the workers must keep going despite slow progress, painfully achieved in the past decades must not be reversed, further widening gender inequalities.

“The future must be brighter and different. Let us draw lessons and use the space we have now to rethink and to build forward better.”

“Let us construct a fairer and more equal model that takes into account the mistakes of the past as well as the achievements.”

“It is a collective responsibility/to invest in women as part of a human-centred recovery.”

According to her, this will require strong, transparent and sustained leadership, with women at the heart of decisions and plans, participating actively in the processes.

“Governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations must drive change through gender-inclusive policies, with women involved in policy design.”

Mrs Ekele also hailed Kogi State government for giving the women a positive direction through gender inclusiveness and achieving 35 percent affirmative records, a development that has placed the Governor Yahaya Bello above his peers. She said.