| Rita Akpan | |
| Width: | 150px |
| Office1: | Federal Minister of Women Affairs |
| Term Start1: | July 2003 |
| Term End1: | June 2005 |
| Predecessor1: | Aishat Ismail |
| Successor1: | Maryam Ciroma |
Rita Akpan is a Nigerian teacher who was Federal Minister of Women affairs in the cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo between July 2003 and June 2005.
From 1968 to 1986, Rita worked with the American International School, Victoria Island, Lagos and the Federal Ministry of Education. She served as Head of French Department, Federal Government Girls' College, Calabar, Federal Inspector of French Language and later as Vice Principal, Federal Government Girls College, Calabar.[1]
Akpan was once a secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government during the first tenure of the Governor Victor Attah administration. She was also a cabinet member during the first civilian administration of She was appointed Special Adviser on Information and Culture to the Akwa-Ibom State Governor in 1992. She also served as State Commissioner for Education in 1993 and Secretary to State Government, Akwa-Ibom State, between 1999 and 2000.[1]
In October 2004, during a workshop on the socio-economic implications of human trafficking and child labour, Akpan noted that Nigeria was the first and only country in West Africa to enact an anti-human trafficking act.[2] In January 2005, Akpan introduced the second periodic report on Nigeria to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. She said Nigeria had taken concrete steps toward the Rights of the Child Convention since it had presented its initial report.[3]
She was reported to have fallen from favor with President Obasanjo as being an associate of Akwa Ibom Governor Victor Attah, with whom Obasanjo had a disagreement.[4] She was dropped from the cabinet in June 2005.[5] [6]