Gombe Child Rights, VAPP Act underway – Speaker
Speaker, Gombe State House of Assembly Abubakar Luggerewo says the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) and the Child Rights Act are underway, adding that efforts were been made to rectify grey areas.
Recall that Gombe is among states in the federation yet to domesticate the child rights act, although it has passed through first, second readings into and now in committee stages.
Speaking on Wednesday, during the opening ceremony of United Nations Women programme on women, peace and security in Nigeria (phase II), with funding from Norwegian Embassy, Luggerewo said the two bills when passed would protect women and girls in the state.
According to him, efforts were on to ensure the bills are ratified in due time, stressing that the house was not oblivious of the overwhelming benefits.
Luggerewo said, “I came on board to meet the two sensitive bills. We took them and gave them first and second reading and the Committee are doing their possible best to engage all critical stakeholders
Commenting on the challenges impacting the delay in the passage of the bills, the speaker said there are attempts to harmonise opinions towards its workability.
“There are sensitive clauses in the bill and we are talking to our traditional and religious leaders and we want to carry everyone along. Passing the bill is one and implementation is another. I’m sure the executive is just waiting for us to finish, assenting it won’t be a problem, because this bill originated from them. I’m calling on parents to educate their children very well,” Luggerewo added.
On her part, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development Naomi Awak said the ministry would continue to engage relevant stakeholders, adding that the executive would not waste time to assent to the acts.
According to her, “As you have heard from the speaker in the shortest possible time they will conclude work on the bill. The governor, Alh. Inuwa Yahaya has supported, aligned and sponsored the child rights act because all this while nothing has been done but upon assumption in office sponsored it as he for she. In no distant time it would be passed since it has public hearing stage.”
Also Speaking, Bukola Adelehin National consultant for UN women, said the second phase of the organisation would Women Affairs ministry in strengthening its State Action Plan, “to know if we need to review it, invest into making sure the action plan is implemented, we will also work with women affairs to strengthen their capacity. We will be doing a lot of legislative capacity building, Gombe State is relatively peaceful, stable but we know that even when there is peace we need to consolidate it, by watering the plant of peace,” she said.