By Maryam Abeeb
A medical expert and the founder of a Non Governmental Organization known as Health Aid For All Initiative, HAFAI , Dr Ugochi Ohajuneke has called on the government to look more into the implementation of Female Genital Multilation, FGM, Violence Against Person Prohibition Act (VAPP) Act.
She made this call while speaking to pressmen at an event to mark the 2023 International Girls Day, IGD in Abuja.
It could be recalled that the law of the Violence Against Person Prohibition,VAPP Act provides for a set of punishments for FGM. Some of these punishments include;
Anybody who performs or engages another to perform FGM on any person is liable to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 4 years or to a fine not exceeding N200,000 or to both.
Anybody who attempts, aids, abets, or incites another to carry out FGM is liable to a term not exceeding 2 years imprisonment or to a fine not exceeding N100,000 or to both.
Dr Ohajuneke stressed that there is need for government to start implementing laws and policies to prosecute and convict anyone that is found wanting.
She added that there should be proper awareness and sensitization around laws and policies .
“As for the government, yes, there are a lot of policies and laws like the female genital mutilation that law has been passed on to VAPPact 2015. So we are also asking the government that it is time to start implementing, it is time to start prosecuting and convicting , we want to see people going to jail.
“So this is important. Let’s start implementing laws. Let’s follow through the policy. Let people create awareness around the laws and the policies,” she added.
The Founder of HAFAI enjoined parents of girl child to be more involved in lives of their girls, noting that some of the girls tend to confide more in their mentors.
She encouraged parents to be more open and accessible to their children so they can be able to confide in them when they are being faced with challenges.
One of the girls at the event, Adamu Hauwa begs government to create and encourage more organization that will be based in empowering, mentoring and teaching them on how to build self esteem and leadership skills.
She also enjoined government to increase the numbers of scholarship for girl child to boost efforts on girl child education .
“I think governments should always create many organizations like this and have faith in empowering girls, mentoring girls, teaching them to build self esteem and leadership skills. And also government should pay scholarship for girls in order for them to have complete education because many of us here did not have the money to complete the education,” she stated.
