Ekiti Assembly plans stricter sanctions against FGM

Ekiti State House of Assembly[/caption• Nigeria Accounts For 10 Per cent Global FGM — Expert

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has said that it will pass a law that provides for stricter sanctions, as well as encourage whistleblowing and make people report those involved in the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). 

Ekiti State is one of the three states in the Southwest with the prevalence of FGM.

The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Mr. Afunminiyi Afuye, who stated this while receiving the Safety Health Initiative (SHI) delegation on FGM advocacy visit to the Assembly, said the state legislature was willing and ready to pass legislation that will stop the harmful practice.

Afuye noted that though the wife of the state governor had campaigned across the state where many people surrendered their tools of practice and renounced FGM, there was a need for legislation to strengthen sanctions.

The Speaker said some laws seeking to protect the right of womenfolk have been passed by the state legislature, adding that the FGM law would not be an exception.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of Safety Health Initiative, Roda Robinson, said she led the delegation to the assembly to ask the lawmakers to review state laws and policies that would fight against FGM.

According to her, Nigeria accounts for 10 per cent of FGM cases all over the world, noting that Ekiti and two other states in focus states, accounted for high incidences of FGM in the country.

“We have come to seek the support of the Ekiti State Assembly to end the practice of FGM. We want more efforts and more commitment to strengthen the partnership and end FGM.”

We want state actors like the assembly to step up efforts. FGM should now be seen as a criminal offence,” Robinson said.