Plateau State House of Assembly, in conjunction with key stakeholders in the state, has initiated measures to protect the inheritance rights of women and girls in the state.
During a public hearing held at the Assembly complex in Jos on Tuesday, April 14, participants drawn from the government, judiciary, security agencies, female advocacy groups, traditional institutions, and civil society organizations, threw their weight behind a proposed law seeking to protect the rights of women and girls to inherit lands and properties from parents as against the normal practice where only male children have the right of inheritance.
Participants at the meeting described the proposed bill as timely, transformative, and critical to ending decades of gender-based discrimination.
The public hearing, which was organized by the Assembly, highlighted the bill aimed at regulating and protecting the rights of women and girls to inherit properties, benefits, and privileges from deceased husbands and parents.
While addressing the audience, Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary Matters, Hon. Kalamu Idris Gyang, and Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon. Sylvester Wallangko, agreed that the submission by stakeholders in support of the bill, along with recommendations for strengthening its provisions showed a positive response to the proposal.
Hon. Gyang who further emphasized the urgency of the legislation, noted that cultural practices have long deprived women of inheritance rights and the acceptance of the proposed bill has gone in the right direction.
“This bill is for the people of Plateau State. We are very determined to make sure that this bill sees the light of day,” Gyang said.
“Women contribute significantly to family wealth and development, yet traditions deprive them of inheritance. This law will correct that imbalance and promote societal growth,” he added.
On his part, Hon. Wallangko described the bill as a solution to long-standing societal issues that had caused bad blood in families across the state.
“This particular bill will solve a lot of issues that have bedevilled our society; by the time it is enacted, it will be binding on all of us,” Wallangko noted.
Also speaking, Special Adviser on Social Welfare to the Governor, Esther Simi Dusu, described the bill as a pathway to emancipation and empowerment of women.
“This bill is a form of emancipation. It will enable women to access opportunities and express their God-given potential.
“This is one of the best laws we have ever seen. It will address imbalances and injustice and is already aligned with national policy on women’s property ownership.
“The proposed law which has been widely supported across different sectors, is expected to mark a significant turning point in addressing gender inequality in inheritance practices and strengthening social justice in Plateau State,” she added.
