By Kingsley Agim
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, has lauded members of the Nigeria Governors’ Spouses Forum (NGSF) for what he described as their “transformative influence on the moral, social, and developmental architecture of the nation,” pledging his administration’s full support for gender inclusion and public health advocacy.
Governor Otu gave the commendation on Friday when he received members of the forum, led by its Chairperson and First Lady of Kwara State, Ambassador (Prof.) Olufolake AbdulRazaq, at Government House, Calabar, as part of the 2025 NGSF Annual Retreat, which later concluded with a communiqué charting a bold course for women’s advocacy in the coming year.
Describing women as “the true backbone of national development,” the Governor said Nigeria’s sustainable progress depended on the active participation of women in governance and community building. “No woman, no nation,” Otu declared. “It is very clear that this nation cannot move forward without women. My rise in politics has been largely attributed to the support of women, because when they make a decision, it is very difficult to change it.”
The Governor highlighted the six-month paid maternity leave introduced by his administration for female civil servants as a model of gender-sensitive governance, adding that Cross River had made significant strides in healthcare delivery and immunisation coverage.
“We have discovered that most maternal deaths occur at the primary healthcare level, so we are upscaling those facilities and training health workers to ensure better service delivery,” he explained. “Our goal is to make sure no mother or child dies from preventable causes.”
Otu praised the First Ladies for their humanitarian initiatives, describing them as “selfless architects of compassion whose impact transcends politics.”
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He also commended the Cross River First Lady, Rev. (Mrs) Eyoanwan Bassey Otu, for her people-focused programmes aligned with the NGSF’s objectives. “Your retreat here will be fruitful,” he assured. “Nigeria is coming out of a dark age, and things are beginning to take shape again. We all must work together to build a better Nigeria.”
In her response, Ambassador (Prof.) Olufolake AbdulRazaq thanked Governor Otu for hosting the retreat and for his government’s strides in infrastructure, healthcare, and education, describing Cross River as “a home of grace, culture, and progress.”
She recalled that the forum, which began as the Nigeria Governors’ Wives Against Gender-Based Violence (NGWA-GBV), has evolved into a powerful national platform for gender equality and family welfare.
“By ensuring equitable representation of women in legislative bodies, we open the door to policies that reflect the realities of half our population,” she said. “When women lead, communities prosper; when women participate, societies grow stronger.” She further applauded Cross River’s adoption of the six-month maternity leave and called on other South-South governors to emulate it, saying the policy “strengthens family bonds and enhances workforce productivity.”
At the end of the retreat, attended by 22 First Ladies, the forum issued a communiqué reaffirming its commitment to advancing women’s health, gender equity, and child welfare. The First Ladies resolved to sustain the fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), endorse the “Reserved Seat for Women Bill,” and intensify advocacy for the adoption of six-month paid maternity leave in all states.
They also pledged continued collaboration with donor partners, civil society groups, and health agencies to reduce maternal mortality, strengthen immunisation coverage—particularly on HPV, Measles, Rubella, and Hepatitis—and end child labour through a strategic partnership with the Federal Ministry of Labour. In a landmark resolution, the forum endorsed the 2026 RenewHER Roadmap Strategy presented by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Women’s Health, aimed at improving health outcomes for women and girls nationwide.
The communiqué described the retreat as “a gathering of shared wisdom and renewed commitment,” noting that the NGSF would sustain its role as a unifying platform for advocacy, partnership, and leadership.
“We are resolved,” the First Ladies stated collectively, “to keep standing where the cries of the weak are heard, where the hope of the woman and child is rekindled, and where the light of compassion continues to shine.”
