Vice Chairman, Industrial Global Union (IGU), Comrade Issa Aremu has praised President Muhammadu Buhari for signing Executive Order 009 towards eradicating open defecations in the country.
He also hailed the President’s bold decision on border closure, noting that the policy will boost local production of materials and eradicate poverty through the provision of job opportunities for the nation’s unemployed youths.
Aremu spoke with newsmen shortly after donating a twin- toilet facility to Junior Secondary School, Ayegun- Araromi in Asa local government area of Kwara state, as part of activities marking the International Women’s Day.
The front line labour leader said he donated the toilet facility to compliment both the federal and state government’s efforts at eradicating open defecations in the country.
Aremu, noted that Executive Orders 009 and 003 signed by President Buhari are bold steps geared towards eradicating open defecations and improving the nation’s economy respectively.
He added that the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day is “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”serves as a wake up call towards equal gender representation.
“It focuses on the need for all to be involved in the fight for gender equality. Today we should raise the voice for gender equality in the politics and governance, boardrooms, government, workplace and trade unions,” he added.
Aremu, also noted that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara state, has gone down in history as the first African leader with the highest number of female cabinet members and political appointees.
“At present, nine, or 52.25%, of his 16-person cabinet picks are women. That is way higher than the 35% affirmative action sought by the Beijing Declaration and a big statement for the Nigerian girl child as the world marks the 2020 edition of the International Women’s Day.
On the toilet donation, Aremu said” I am using the occasion of the International’s Women’s Day today to official present to the Junior Secondary School Araromi Ayegun, another block of twin toilets for use by both the students and teachers in the school.
“Similar donation of a block of twin toilets was made exactly a year ago to mark the 2019 International Women’s Day (IWD). The gesture is to make teaching and learning more conducive for both teachers and students of the school. It also compliments the Kwara State’s administration’s effort and commitment to improved sanitation and hygiene in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) six (6) which seeks to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations by 2030.
“We hope this also complements the objectives of Executive Order 009 signed by President Muhammadu Buhari which tends to end open defacation.”
