An NGO, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has condemned the Sallah stampede in Ilorin which left more than 20 people dead and called for a strong policy to protect women’s rights.

CISLAC made its position public in a release signed by its Executive Director, Ibrahim Musa,  and made available  in Ilorin.

It will be recalled that more than 20 women died during a stampede in Ilorin on Wednesday  during the struggle for gifts presented by  Sen.  Bukola Saraki, a former governor of the state.

Musa advised the state government to put in a place a  policy that would enable women and youths  to access credit facilities and reduce poverty that had often forced them into  taking  unnecessary  risks .

"CISLAC recommends that both Kwara State Assembly and the executive  immediately increase resources that would benefit women and other vulnerable groups in the state," Musa said.

He said women and other vulnerable groups in the state  had  been marginalised over the years with regards to developmental projects.

Musa said  the extreme poverty level in the state had deprived women and youths  of their constitutional rights.

The fight against poverty in the state, he said,  would  not succeed  if immediate attention was not given to women and youth empowerment.

He added that  vulnerable groups in the state had  suffered from long years of successive weak governance, rising poverty, ignorance, discrimination, injustice  and insecurity.

Musa urged the state government to put in place an institutional framework to promote environmental sustainability and poverty alleviation, particularly among women.

He further charged government to increase funding and  investment in  small-scale agricultural development projects to promote food security in the state. (NAN)