OSHA Pledges To End FGM

The Osun State House of Assembly, OSHA, has pledged to give its support to National Orientation Agency, NOA, in other to put an end to Female Genital Mutilation, FGM, in the State.

The Speaker, Mr. Timothy Owoeye stated this at a One-Day Advocacy Dialogue with State Legislators to support the implementation of laws and policies against Female Genital Mutilation in Osun State at the Osun State House of Assembly Complex Oshogbo, organised by National Orientation Agency.

Mr. Owoeye while commending the efforts of NOA and other sister agencies for the campaign against the act, noted that FGM law has been passed into law since 2004 in the state, stressing that female circumcision has no benefit to women and girls.

He said there is need to amend some of provisions in 2004 law passed to involve traditional and religious leaders in the fight against FGM to achieve success.

In their contributions, some lawmakers condemned the act, calling for stiffer sanctions against the perpetrators.

Earlier, the Osun State Director of NOA, Mr. Oluropo Ibikunle, and UNICEF representative in the state, Mrs. Olutayo Aderonke acknowledged the efforts of the Osun State House of Assembly for the passage of laws against child abuse and Female Genital Mutilation.

They called for more support from state lawmakers to eradicate the devilish act.

Meanwhile, under Matters of Urgent Public Importance, the lawmaker representing Ife North State Constituency and Chief Whip of House, Mr. Babatunde Olatunji, brought to the notice of the Assembly, the power outage in some communities in Ife North Local Government for the past 5 months.

Mr. Olatunji noted that the power outage has crippled the commercial activities, and has adversely affected the lives of the people in the area.

The Speaker, Mr. Timothy Owoeye in his remark, lamented the poor electricity supply in the state and the country at large.

He then called for the appearance of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, National Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC and Federal Competition Consumers Agency, FCCA, before the state lawmakers on 13th October, 2021 to explain issues surrounding poor electricity supply.

Funmi Adekoya