Stakeholders have sought for the implementation of law against the practice of female genital mutilation to aids quick and total elimination of the menace in the country.
This was the submission of relevant stakeholders at the weekend during a two-day webinar conference organised by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), known as HACEY Health Initiative with support from Access Bank to commemorate 2021 International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation.
The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Adeleye Fayemi, while speaking at the conference, tagged “No Time for Global Inaction: Unite Fund and Act to End Female Genital Mutilation”, said that Ekiti state has adopted local solution to eliminate FGM by introducing ‘Drop the blade for Wealth’, where the state government empowered 120 women, who dropped Genital Mutilation tools for sustainable empowerment.
On her part, Olori Silekunola Naomi Ogunwusi, wife of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, called for all hand to be on deck to eradicate illiteracy and poverty if the nation is serious at eradicating FGM.
Similarly, Oyo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Bashir Bello, described FGM as a societal problem, which is being enabled by poverty, illiteracy and dearth of adequate information.
Bello explained that Governor Seyi Makinde led administration is also taking steps to end FMG in the state.
He attributed the existence of FGM in the society to culture, which according to him, has override the law, thereby making it difficult to identify and perhaps punish the perpetrators accordingly .
“Seven years term jail has been prescribed as penalty for anyone who mutilate but parents of victims don’t cry out. In Oyo state, we have been focusing on the mothers who see FGM as a thing of honour to let them know that the practice is a crime. Oyo state Government has also involved ministry of health, women affairs, justice, education and State House of assembly in the fight against FGM and also put the practice among issues that can be described as violence against women. We are urging the victims to cry out, particularly their parents so that we can jointly reduce the menace to the barest minimum if not totally eliminated”, the Commissioner said.
Furthermore, the UNFPA Country Director (Nigeria), Ulla Elizabeth Mueller, said over two million girls risk genital Mutilation across 36 states of Nigeria.
Mueller, therefore, called for synergy among critical stakeholders to end FMG in the country.
The representative of the security agencies, Osun State Commissioner of Police, CP Olokode Olawale, said conspiracy of silence contributed to inability of Police to arrest perpetrators of the genital mutilation, noting that the people see it as family affairs.
Olokode, thereafter, called on citizens of the country to report cases of abuses on girl child and others to the police.
While speaking, the Executive Director, Hacey Health Initiative, Rhoda Robinson, said the conference was organized to step up awareness about FGM and get stakeholders support to protect girl child against the barbaric act.
