Adebayo Adenrele
Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi has condemned the spike in the rate of teenage pregnancy and other forms abuse against girl child in the state.
Erelu stated this in Ado-Ekiti during a Technical session on Adolescent Girl Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) with Ekiti State Gender Based Violence Committee likewise a sensitization engagement of chairmen of Local Government and Council Development Areas.
Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) is a world bank assisted project in seven states, of which Ekiti State is the only participating South Western states, while others include Borno, Kaduna, Kano, kastina, Kebbi and Plateau.
Erelu Fayemi also frowned at the level at which teenage girls below fourteen years are impregnated and made to hawk goods at the expense of their education.
In her words, “Despite various laws and policies formulated 27 years after the Fourth World Women Conference held in Beijing, China in 1995, it is disheartening to still see this very young Ladies carrying babies at their back, while they on many occasions will not be able to recognize the boy who was responsible for pregnancy of the babies.” She said.
She maintained that Ekiti State has the highest number of teenage pregnancy in Southwest while most of the ladies involved would not be able to continue with their education, thereby dropping out of school.
She therefore urged the participants to intensify efforts in creating awareness at the grassroot.
“You should please help us to set up GBV committee at the Local Government level to be chaired by the wives of the the chairmen and provision of safe shelter for the GBV victims and Found to finance it’s activities” she stressed.
Erelu Fayemi also charged parents and guardians to pa attention to Girl child as they can be easily exposed to issues that could affect their future plans unlike male counterparts who are strong enough to be guided.
The Commissioner for Education Science and Technology, Dr Bimpe Aderiye also advocated that the need for improved conscious effort is needed to keep girls child in school.
She noted that there were still dilapidated structures in some schools that are capable of keeping students out of school, despite government’s interventions at providing education facilities across the state and making the existing ones more conducive for learning.
On her part, the State Coordinator of AGILE, Mrs Yemisi Alokan said that the project was targeted by world Bank at improving secondary education and create opportunities among adolescents boys and girls in participating states.
Also, boys and girls under the category of Adolescent must enrol and complete secondary school education with adequate empowerment skills.
In their remarks, participants at the programme which included the legal professionals, representatives of Religious bodies, council chairmen among others called for improved awareness on AGILE, in order to reduce teenage pregnancy across the state.