The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has declared state of emergency on sexual and gender-based violence.
The governors who met on Wednesday, condemned all forms of violence against women and children and assured that they would ensure that offenders face the maximum weight of the law.
NGF Chairman, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, in a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, called on state governors who have not domesticated relevant gender-based protection laws to domesticate the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and the Child Rights Act.
State governors were also told to update the Penal Code to increase protection for women and children and to ensure speedy investigation and prosecution of perpetrators.
“Governors will commit additional funding for the prevention and response to sexual and gender-based violence through appropriate Ministries, Departments and Agencies,” Fayemi assured.
He called on the Commissioners of Police to provide a detailed report on the actions taken to strengthen their response to sexual and gender-based violence through the Family Support Units and Force Gender Units at the state and local government levels.
According to him, the state chief executives endorsed the decisions of the meeting of the spouses of governors, and promised to mobilise action to check the alarming rate of sexual violence against women and girls.
He added that a sex offenders’ register would be created in each state “to name and shame.”
The state chief executives however commended President Muhammadu Buhari for postponing the formal publication of Executive Order No. 10 of 2020 in the Official Gazette, to allow further consultations among all stakeholders.
Fayemi added that the NGF committee led by its Vice Chairman, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto State, would meet with the delegation of the Conference of Speakers and other stakeholders to work out modalities for resolving all concerns regarding Executive Order amicably.
He maintained the governors’ the position on the proposed Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, 2020, adding that the role of state governments in the Nigeria’s federal system in responding to the pandemic should be taking into account.
“Specifically, state governors should be conferred with the powers, among others to, declare any place within their state an infected area,” he said.
The governors endorsed the work of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s committee on measures to gradually open the formal and informal sectors of the economy, especially agricultural activities in rural areas, manufacturing markets, construction, hotels and restaurants, and worship centers based on existing COVID-19 protocols.
They further called on each state government to develop a strategy for opening its economy based on the guidelines agreed to by the Presidential Taskforce ( PTF) and the NGF.
“So far, success has been recorded in improving the supply and availability of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), with five companies certified by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to locally produce PPE,” the NGF stated.
