AMINA MOHAMMED: CIVIL SOCIETY DEMANDS INCLUSIVENESS IN THE MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENT

The members of Civil Society condemn the ongoing baseless petitions, by some persons or groups of persons against the appointment of Mrs. Amina Mohammed as Minister by President Muhammadu Buhari.

We observed some negative efforts by some political sycophants against the appointment of Mrs. Mohammed, who is a well-deserved candidate with sterling credentials, credibility, experience, integrity and track records suitable for the Ministerial appointment.

We clearly state that in terms of experience, Mrs. Mohammed has distinguished herself in human development for over 30 years both in the public and private sectors. Her passion and commitment towards improving the quality lives of citizens in the country through skill aquisation training for unemployed youth.

Mrs. Mohammed’s vast experience both at the national and international levels spurred her recognition and subsequent appointment as the Special Adviser on Post-2015 Development Planning in 2012 by the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. She worked tirelessly, delicately and successfully to manage the process of adoption of the Social Development Goals. Nigerians are proud of her accomplishment when the United Nations General Assembly adapted the SDGs in September 2015.

Between 2002 and 2005, she worked in the United Nations Millennium Project as a Coordinator of the Task Force on Gender and Education. In 1991, Mrs. Mohammed founded Afri-Projects Consortium, a multidisciplinary firm of Engineers and Quantity Surveyors, where she was Executive Director.Between 1981 and 1991, she worked with Archcon Nigeria in association with Norman and Dawbarn United Kingdom.

It is worthy to note that Mrs. Mohammed has served on many international advisory boards and panels such as Gates Foundation and the UN Secretary General’s Global Sustainability Panel. In 2005 she was charged with the numerous responsibility of coordination the debt relief funds ($1 billion per annum) towards the achievement of Millennium Development Goals in Nigeria. She served credibly as Senior Special Assistant on MDGs.

We find it worrisome that despite the contributions by women to the nation’s socio-political development since democratic rule in 1999, they are under-represented in all key political decision making bodies in Nigeria including National and State Houses of Assembly. Although women constitute a greater number of votes in all of the elections held so far in the country.

We call on the Senate to disregard any allegation against Mrs. Mohammed and consider her as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Siged Centre for Democracy Development (CDD)
Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD)

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
Accountability Maternal New-born and Child Health in Nigeria (AMHiN)

Women's Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA)

Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC)

West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF)
State of the Union (SOTU)
Advocacy Nigeria
Women in Nigeria