INFORMATION ENUGU

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State says his administration would partner with the non-governmental organization-Women Arise for Change Initiative- to intensify campaign against various forms of gender-based violence, especially in view of the preponderance of such incidents against women and young girls.

Governor Ugwuanyi spoke while receiving the management of the group led by Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin which paid him an advocacy visit at the Government House, Enugu. The team leader described the governor as “a workaholic who stays awake while his peers are fast asleep”.
Governor Ugwuanyi noted that Enugu State had already taken positive initiatives in the same direction as the group by introducing a Child Rights Bill before the State Assembly. This bill he pointed out would soon be passed into law.
He observed that the state has in the same vein equally established a sexual Assault and Referral Center that offers assistance to victims of various sexual offences particularly against women and young girls and assured that he was willing to partner the group on any other efforts aimed at eradicating or substantially reducing the incidence of Gender Based Violence as well as ensure that requisite policy framework is put in place towards the success of the campaign.
Dr Okei Odumakin who spoke earlier stated that her group was in Enugu to solicit the cooperation of the State government in the area of sensitization and establishment of a Domestic Violence Response Center in the State for the lodging of complaints on gender based issues, noting that such center will help curb cases of violence against women.
She lamented that based on existing statistics it was obvious that domestic violence had assumed staggering proportions and required concerted efforts to arrest the menace across the country.
Other members of the Women Arise team who accompanied Dr Okei Odumakin during the visit included, Mr Femi Lawson, who is the Programme Officer, Mr Shegun Olawole, the Director of Media and Mr Gbenga Gonzalo, the coordinator Research and Statistics.