United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund has given till January, 2018, twenty eight autonomous communities in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State to stop the practice of female genital mutilation.

UNICEF which is partnering with the state chapter of the National Orientation Agency in the campaign, said that while Imo, Oyo, Ekiti, Ebonyi and Osun states are ranked as the five states with the highest incidences of the harmful practice, Ngor Okpala,Ikduru, Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta LGAs are the worst hit in Imo State.

Addressing the presidents general and women leaders in Ngor Okpala LGA during a one-day consensus building meeting to end the ugly practice, the UNICEF officer in the state, Chigozie Ojiaku, said the aim was to ensure that by January, 2018, no family in the area is practising the trend which he said was harmful to the growth of the girl child.

He said that apart from what he called community mapping, UNICEF had engaged in geographical positional system, community dialogue to ensure that no girl child is mutilated anymore.

Ojiaku informed that in order to ensure adequate compliance, UNICEF had adopted the formation of a child protection committee in every community who would give it feedback on regular intervals.

The Director, NOA in Imo State, Vitus Ekeocha, said, Osun, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Imo and Oyo states, from research, have the highest incidences of female genital mutilation and cutting abandonment in Nigeria.

“Here in Imo State, Ngor Okpala, Ohaji/Egbema, Ikeduru and Oguta are the highest in the incidences of female genital mutilation. UNICEF and NOA are working to ensure that by January,2018, every community in the local government does not engage in the harmful practice anymore, ” Ekeocha said.

In her lecture, the officer in charge of Child’s Rights Act at the Ministry of Women Affairs, Imo State, Blessing Azubuike, said people still engage in the practice out of ignorance.

She said, “The old generation women who were victims of female genital mutilation in large numbers were sexually helpless. No urge, no feeling. When there is no lubrication during sex, there will be friction and it is a problem for women in carrying out their conjugal responsibility.”

Speaking on the health implication of the practice, she said that those who engage in the cutting and mutilation were not formally trained as the practice is not taught in schools.

Azubuike said that as a result of the health implications of the practice, some children die out of bleeding, shock, pains, infections.

Source:- http://www.exclusivepp.com.ng/unicef-gives-imo-communities-two-months-stop-female-genital-mutilation/

There's been a rise in sexual immorality and female promiscuity since they stopped female circumcision

The Ultimatum bug has bitten UNICEF sad well.

Source: http://africanentertainment.info

IMO Council: Onyema, Amaechi Woo Foreign Diplomats For Nigeria's Election

…Says NIMASA Has Put Nigeria High to Win Council Seat

In a bid to ensure that Nigeria wins the re-election into one of the highest decision making body of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), an arm of the United Nation (UN) responsible for global maritime regulation, the Minister of Transportation Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geofrey Onyema has called on all Heads of Foreign Missions to support the country’s quest as it seeks election into the Category C of the IMO Council.

Speaking at the Cocktail Dinner in honour of Foreign Missions organized by the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the yesterday in Abuja, Mr. Onyema said that as a key player in the global maritime industry, Nigeria has played active leadership roles in ensuring the development of the sector not only within the country but also in the entire West and Central African sub region.

Mr. Onyema assured the global maritime community on Nigeria’s readiness to ensure optimum performance through curbing piracy, preventing marine pollution, reinvigoration of its ports and capacity building.

“I wish to inform you that we have enacted proactive policies that conform to global best practices in the maritime sector. More specifically through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), we have domesticated a number of IMO maritime safety conventions with a view to ensuring maritime safety and security not only in our domain but in the entire West and Central African Sub region” he said.

In the same vein the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Honourable Rotimi Amaechi said that Nigeria has taken a lead role in African maritime sector, adding that the Regional Search and Rescue Coordination Centre (RMRCC) in Lagos, coordinates Search and Rescue (SAR) activities in Nigeria and African sub region which comprises of, Togo, Benin Republic, Cameroun, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equitorial Guinea as well as Soa Tome and Principe.

He added that the Federal Government has approved the establishment of an Integrated National Surveillance and Waterways Infrastructure Protection which will ensure security in the Nigerian maritime domain.

To corroborate the Ministers’ stance, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside said that Nigeria occupies a special position in the African Maritime sector based on the length of its coastline and the attendant volume of trade.

According to Dr. Dakuku Peterside “Nigeria has a coastline of over 850km, and 65% of the cargoes heading to Africa would end up in Nigeria. We are the first country in Africa to enact a Coastal and Inland Trade Law (Cabotage Law) and we are likely going to be the first to enact and anti-piracy bill and so we are committed to taking shipping to the next level”, he said.

The Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Harry Purwento and his counterpart from Syria, Mohammed Abo Serriah, commended Nigeria’s achievements in recent times and pledged support towards the election in to the council seat.  They said aside supporting Nigeria’s bid they would also canvass for votes for the country after seeing the strides being made by Nigeria in the entire African Maritime Sector.

Nigeria through NIMASA is seeking election into the Category C of the IMO council which is coming up later this year. Nigeria lost the seat in 2011 however unprecedented improvements have been made in the past 2 years which puts Nigeria in a stead to clinch the seat of one of the highest decision making body of the IMO Council.

ISICHEI OSAMGBI
Head, Corporate Communications,
NIMASA

https://africanentertainment.info/imo-council-onyema-amaechi-woo-foreign-diplomats-for-nigerias-election/

NwaAmaikpe:



There's been a rise in sexual immorality and female promiscuity since they stopped female circumcision

Plus HIV, abortion and general disgrace.

Some of these ancient traditions should be respected

No orgasm and d woman cannot even master her own body. Na wah o, this is truly a problem

adadike281:
No orgasm and d woman cannot even master her own body. Na wah o, this is truly a problem

Hmmmm. . . .issue plenty

lol, why two months? meaning others are still going to be a victim of it during the period.

someone must have written to UNICEF. but the truth is that its beyond the government. its a tradition of the people and the traditional leader needs to get involved. or the state can enact a law to make it a capital offense.

adadike281:
No orgasm and d woman cannot even master her own body. Na wah o, this is truly a problem

i thought you are igbo and was yours totally mutilated or partially trim?

yanshDoctor:
i thought you are igbo and was yours totally mutilated or partially trim?

Not all Igbos believe in such practices.

Why 2 months? That means some girls will still fall victim between now and January. Sorry girls, but the UNICEF people should have pronounced immediate ban.

Why wait for 2 months? The remaining circumcisions may now be rushed. Immediate stopage would have been better.

so much for educated people.

igbodefender:
Why wait for 2 months? The remaining circumcisions may now be rushed. Immediate stopage would have been better.

i don't think it will even be effective. who is going to monitor this act? its only education and enlightenment.

many babies will still be mutilated by families and no body will notice or complain for them

UNICEF can joke

Threatening people against a culture they've kept for thousands of years

These things need diplomacy

yanshDoctor:
u don't think it will even be effective. who is going to monitor this this act? its only education and enlightenment.

many babies will still be mutilated by families and no body will notice or complain for them

A sad fact we wish did not exist, I must admit. Unfortunately, NGOs which are effective in spreading the kind of enlightenment needed are not getting the needed support.