African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA) has urged the Federal Government to review the fuel subsidy removal and declare a state of emergency on insecurity as key measures to tackle the crippling economic hardship in the country.
The newly elected executive members of the association led by its President, Caroline Ibharuneafe made the call during a media briefing at AWLA Secretariat in Lagos.
Lamenting the daily plight of Nigerians especially women in coping with the astronomical rise in cost of living, Ibharuneafe stated that the government must consider a holistic review of its economic policies and tackle insecurity frontally to save the country from going into recession.
According to her, the prevailing high cost of living has been exacerbated by the grave insecurity in the land with a series of kidnappings, rape of women and children.
She said: “We are seriously concerned about the state of the nation, especially the high cost of living and insecurity in the land which is currently having a terrible effect on our women.
“Farmers in the rural areas can no longer go to farm for fear of killer herdsmen thus leading to high shortage of food items and other essential products in the market.
“The removal of fuel subsidy and floating of the Naira has further compounded the situation and thrown a lot of people hungry.
“As an association that represents the interest of indigent women in the country, we cannot watch as our women face severe hunger and hardship and do nothing.
“We therefore call on the Federal Government to rise to its responsibility by urgently taking the issue of insecurity seriously. If a policy is not working, it should be reviewed.”
The Federal Government, they charged, should urgently reconsider the removal of fuel subsidy.
They also called on the government to do something urgent about the incessant electricity increases by the power holding companies in the country.
Ibharuneafe, however, warned that AWLA would not hesitate to drag the government before the court if concrete measures are not immediately taken to address the current hardship in the country.
“Nigerians are dying in their hundreds and if nothing is done on all these issues enumerated, AWLA will have no choice but to take legal means to fight for our rights as enunciated in the Nigerians Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Child Rights,” she said.
On the clamour for State Police, Ibharuneafe insisted that AWLA is in full support of state police as a measure to tackle the insecurity challenges in the country but added that women must be included in committees set up by the government to find lasting solutions to the nation’s problems.
She insisted that any good measure that would put the country on the path of safety and food sufficient should be encouraged adding that AWLA is open for collaboration with government and other non-governmental organisation in finding solutions to challenges facing the country and more especially rendering prono-bono legal services to indigent women and the girl-child.
Ibharuneafe also drew the attention of the public to some internal leadership issues in AWLA which had hampered its effectiveness in carrying out its function but assured that those issues are being sorted out.
She reiterated that the new AWLA executive under her leadership will refocus the association and ensure that it carries out its role effectively.
