The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Pauline Tallen, Friady at Abakaliki asked the Ebonyi Government to check incidences that resulted to early girl-child marriage in the state.
Tallen made this request when she visited Governor David Umahi as part of her visit to the state to flag-off national cooking gas and tree planting project.
The women affairs minister observed that incidences of early girl child marriage was high in many states in Nigeria, and however, suggested that education was one of the ways to checkmate the practice.
She said: "We appeal to Ebonyi Government to ensure that girls not only go to school but are retained to complete it, at least attain secondary school level.
“I am not saying that after secondary school they should go into marriage but they should be given opportunity to attend university and even up to master’s degree level.
“Educating a man is just for himself but educating a woman is inevitable because she is a mother, teacher and community leader.
“Every family can testify to the fact that the girls never abandoned parents even at old age and so, to enjoy old age, the girl–child should be educated,” she said.
She commended the government for its efforts in checking Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF), noting that the establishment of National Obstetrics and Fistula Centre in the state had been of assistance.
“We want to commend you for domesticating the Child’s Right Act but it should be implemented to ensure that no child will be on the streets, at home and no incidence of VVF.
“We also commend the state government for the appointment and election of women into governmental and political positions of which the state is vastly developing due to this development,” he said.
Tallen said that the national cooking gas and tree planting exercise would enhance the well being of families and also aesthetics of Ebonyi and beyond.
Gov. David Umahi welcomed the minister to the state and lauded her for being the pivot for implementing programmes which touched the lives of people at the grassroots.
Umahi represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Kelechi Igwe, said that Tallen propagated the message of Global System for Mobile- Communication as Minister of Science and Technology during former President Obasanjo’s administration.
“You should not worry over the distribution of the cooking gas as we will adopt the same policy used during the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives.
“We brought all the political parties together under the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to decide ways of sharing the palliatives and equitably distributed among all the political parties in the state,” he said.
He said that the state had attained over 50 per cent affirmation for women by ensuring that they occupied the vice-chairmanship and secretary positions of the local government areas, commissioners and governmental aides. (NAN)
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