Ogun First Lady leads awareness walk against GBV

Worried by the increasing cases of gender-based violence in the country, the wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun has called for more efforts from all concerned parties to ruthlessly address the menace.

Mrs. Abiodun made the appeal yesterday, during an awareness walk to mark the end of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, with the theme: Orange The World: End Violence Against Women Now, staged by the First Lady’s Ajose Foundation in partnership with WARIF, to sensitise women in the state on the fight against gender-based violence.

She said the action was necessary due to the increasing cases of gender-based violence in the past years.

‘’Just last year, in response to the public outcry sparked by some of the unfortunate cases, the President and all the governors declared a state of emergency in the country, which made all the first ladies mobilise through the Nigerian Governors Wives Forum (NGWF) to come up with unified approaches to protect the victims while ensuring that the perpetrators do not go free.’’

The Governor’s wife added, “one of such approaches is the enforcement of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act across all states. Furthermore, a management committee of the VAPP was inaugurated by Governor Dapo Abiodun to steer decisions in the right direction.’’

She further stated, “Earlier in the year, we inaugurated the first Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Sagamu, as well as the Family Support Unit (FSU) spear-headed by the Ogun State Commissioner of Police in Ota. These establishments are meant to give victims the support they need to be able to report violence and seek justice from the relevant law enforcement agents’.

Mrs. Abiodun sought more efforts from all concerned stakeholders to stem the tide of the menace, stating that the situation needed to be addressed and dealt with critically.

‘’I want to urge community leaders, influences and all concerned stakeholders to join in finding more ways to make more impact in this regard to ensure that there is zero-tolerance for domestic violence in Ogun State,’’ she stated.

On his part, Governor Abiodun while hosting the First Lady’s team in his office assured of his unflinching support for the enforcement of the VAAMPC law already in existence, noting that violators would not go unpunished.

Contributing, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olukunle Oluomo, while receiving the team at the State Assembly Complex in Oke- Mosan, Abeokuta, promised that the legislators would do all it could with the cooperation of women groups to make more laws prohibiting gender-based violence.

In her remark, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Funmi Efuwape, appreciated the Governor for his efforts on women emancipation, requesting more policy on the fight against gender-based violence and other related issues.

The walk had in attendance, the Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako Oyedele, Members of SOSGFA, Human rights groups and women groups among others.