By Francis Ekeh Abuja
 
Wife of the Presidential Candidate of Labour Party (LP), Margaret Obi has stressed that with Peter Obi as President of Nigeria, Women will no longer be economic consumers but will be statutorily represented in government and empowered with the right skills and adequate financial support for business.
 
Mrs. Obi gave the assurances on Tuesday at a Town Hall Meeting. Theme: “Women for a new Nigeria”, which held at Event Center, City Park, Abuja.
 
Addressing teeming crowd of women at the event, the wife of the LP flag bearer said Obi and his running mate are determined to turn women into economic tigers rather then economic consumers by giving them the right skills and supporting them with adequate finance.
 
She lamented that although women constitute about 49% of the population and 75% of the registered voters in Nigeria, the illiteracy rate of women is between 60% – 70% while only 6% of women are elected into political positions.
 
She said, “Women make up 49% of the Nigerian population, and by June this year women and youth already made up over 75% of the registered voters in Nigeria.
 
“In finance, even though it is women that are the primary caregivers in Nigeria, many women from petty trading, to farming to small businesses to increasingly aspiring to bigger corporations, hustle to ensure their families are well catered for, it is no secret that women suffer disproportionately from lack of access to finance. There is a lack of access to credit in the formal sector to 98% of women, yet when you compare those that borrow money with their male counterparts, they perform better, Men have a higher default rate.
 
“In human capital development, many women have been rendered as economic consumers, because none has invested in developing their skills to enable them to be economically productive. The ObiDatti government has promised to invest in skills training in various fields to ensure that women have the opportunity to participate as active members of the labour workforce. These skills will increase the earning potential of women especially those in the rural areas, and afford them the dignity to make money for themselves, thus reducing the chances of those women being helpless victims in abusive relationships”.
She stressed that The Obi-Datti pact with women is that they will ensure increased access to finance for women. She said that more money in the hands of women, equates to a better life for our children.
“We are the ones that are raising the leaders of tomorrow. This is why we must step out and vote for ObiDatti ticket and vote for the labour party.
 
“This is why we are making this call to women, you can and must empower the nation to birth a new Nigeria”.
 
She stressed that women are always at the receiving end whenever the economy is bad and urged them to examine what each of the presidential candidate is bringing to the table for women before they settle for any.
She maintained that the ObiDatti policies shows that a new Nigeria where women can take their rightful place.
 
“Women are disproportionately affected by inadequate healthcare in Nigeria. In the New Nigeria under the ObiDatt administration, there will be an increase in National health Insurance to ensure that 133 million of the poorest Nigerians are covered including pregnant women and people living with disabilities”.
She challenged the women to come out from despair and despondency, pledging that Obi is determined to birth a new Nigeria.
She further enumerated the steps women must take to ensure that they become part of history in the election of Peter Obi as the next president.

“First you must believe that we women have the numbers and the power to make this change. Secondly, you must enlist 5 of your friends, relatives and coworkers. Tell them what you know. Show them that a new Nigeria is possible and get a commitment from them to come out to vote for ObiDatti and the Labour party. Make sure they come out on election day. Stay until the votes are counted. Report any issues. Women, we have the numbers, we have the power to birth a new Nigeria. The time is now”.