Pecohub Wife of the Abia State Governor, Priscilla Otti, has decried the rising spate of prostitution and forced marriage in the state, saying parents directly or indirectly induced their children to engage in the acts.
She made the remark while speaking at a recent celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child organised by the Ministry of Women Affairs in conjunction with her office in Umuahia, the state capital on Friday.
She said, “There are cases where parents directly or indirectly induce their children to engage in prostitution or forced early marriage. While we have identified some of these cases in Abia State particularly through my office, we are more determined than ever to restore sanity to the society.”
According to Otti, the programme offered the opportunity to deeply reflect on the unique challenges girls face, including poverty, limited access to quality education and healthcare, child labor, forced marriages, and discrimination within families and society, which she said, all stem from gender-based bias.
She noted that the girl child is often the victim of exploitation, sexual abuse and violence, adding that if the situation must change, leaders must renew their commitment to dismantle age-long customs and traditions that mitigate against the development of the girl-child.
Otti said one of the key achievements of her office has been breaking the cycle of baby factories, particularly in the Isialangwa area, which had posed a grave challenge.
“On several occasions, we have successfully rescued girls from the clutches of these baby factories and child trafficking syndicates. Through our interventions, many young girls have been rescued, rehabilitated, provided with vocational training, education, and counseling, and reunited with their families,” she stated.
In her address, the commissioner for women affairs, Dr Maureen Aghukwa call on parents to empower the girl-child, saying “when you train the girl child, you have empowered a nation. The United Nations’ resolution is meant to promote the girl-child advancement and empowerment. It is also meant to address the challenges the girl-child faces in the society”.
The event featured drama, dance, quiz competition, fashion parades, gift and empowerment to the girls who attended the event.
