Governors meet today over rape, sexual violence
Spouses of the governors of the 36 states in Nigeria under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors Spouses Forum, NGSF, will today (Wednesday) table the growing violence against women and children, especially rape before the governors.
In a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, the Head, Media and Public Affairs, Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF,
Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, said the issue would be discussed because it had become a matter of national emergency as the number of incidences continued to take front burner in the country.
Bello-Barkindo said the governors would also receive memoranda from various groups including a statement from the NGSF headed by the wife of the NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti State, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, at the 10th teleconference meeting since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown.
He said the Minister of Women Affairs Mrs Pauline Talen would interface with Governors on critical gender issues including rape and sexual violence in the country.
It would be recalled that widespread outrage recently trailed the death of girls who were gang-raped and murdered by unknown persons in Edo and Oyo States.
Last week, 18-year-old Barakat Bello was raped and killed at her parent’s home, while Azeezat Shomuyiwa, a 29-year-old pregnant woman was also murdered at her residence in Oyo State.
A 22-year-old Microbiology student of University of Benin, Miss Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, had earlier been allegedly gang-raped and killed by yet-to-be identified person(s).
The NGF spokesman said the teleconference scheduled for 2pm would also be used to review the COVID-19 situation in the various states of the country and advance or evolve more pragmatic ways of dealing with the Pandemic.
According him, invitation from the NGF Director General, Mr Asishana Bayo Okauru, to the governors lists the issues to be deliberated upon at the meeting to include an update on Executive Order 10, and a brief from a subcommittee that was assigned to engage the Presidential Task Force on Covid19 headed by Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, Governor of Delta State.
Governor Nasir el Rufai of Kaduna State will also present the report of his committee set up at the NEC meeting in March to review the impact of the Covid19 Pandemic on the economy for endorsement.
Other issues to be discussed by the state governors, he added will include the World Bank Cares program, the public hearing on the NCDC Bill 2020, the progress made on the refunds to states on FAAC deductions, the restructuring of states’ loans by the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the reimbursements for construction of Federal Roads to states including Rivers, Bayelsa, Ondo, Osun, Cross Rivers.
The statement said the Inspector General of Police was also invited to brief the governors on the Police Trust Fund. Also on the agenda is a briefing on the CACOVID Distribution of palliatives and also a feedback from States.
The NGF is also expected to get an update to see whether or not the palliatives have made any impact on the citizenry.
