Fayemi Fixes Stiffer Penalty for Violators of Gender-Based Laws …Receives Strategic Plan on GBV Management as State Assists 133 GBV Survivors

Olawunmi Dennis/

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has said his administration remains resolute in its commitment to curb gender-based violence in the state, especially the rising cases of defilement of children, adding that the state is set to enforce stiffer penalties violators of its gender-based laws.

The Governor said the commitment of his administration to battling Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the State is a clear demonstration of his commitment to upholding his campaign mantra on values reorientation and restoration.

Dr Fayemi stated this on Monday while receiving the annual report on the management of gender based violence and the State GBV Strategic Plan from the Chairperson of the Ekiti GBV Management Committee, Erelu Bisi Fayemi at the Governor’s office Ado Ekiti.

The Governor said the state government would provide institutional and other forms of support for the works of the GBV management committee, adding that sexual violence and other irresponsible acts are alien to the values which Ekiti people hold dear.

“That is the very essence of our values restoration, values reorientation campaign in the State. And this is one area we are going to be consistently remain unapologetical in the firm manner we deal with those who run fouls of the law on gender based violence and the violation of children” the governor said.

Dr Fayemi also agreed to include gender based violence on the agenda the State Security Council meetings as requested by the management committee.

Fayemi who said the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), which he leads, had also taken a firm stand against sexual violence and abuse, a development which culminated in the Forum’s declaration of a state of emergency on Gender Based Violence.

Making the presentation, Erelu Fayemi disclosed that Ekiti State government, through the 2019 GBV law which makes provision for survivors’ fund, has provided succour for no fewer than 133 survivors of GBV between December 2 018 till date.

The Ekiti First Lady added that a permanent shelter for the GBV survivor “is underway and would soon be ready for commissioning.

The GBV Management Committee which was reconstituted in July 2019, according to Erelu Fayemi, has been able to facilitate the provision of several legal frameworks to protect GBV survivors, including the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Sexually Abused Minors Law 2020.

She disclosed that the Committee through the Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, activated the 2013 Sex Offender Register in consonance with the “name and shame policy” which provides for the publication of the names and photographs of convicted sex offenders in the State.

Other achievements of the Committee, according to her, included the launch of the Ekiti State Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) known as Moremi Clinic at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH); establishment of a functional platform for civil society organisations working on GBV issues, advocacy engagement with relevant agencies including religious organisations and security agencies.

Erelu Fayemi said: “On June 5th 2020, Dr Kayode Fayemi challenged the GBV management Committee to come up with a State of Emergency Action Plan on GBV. Today, we are here not only to present our Annual reports, but we are also presenting our GBV Strategic Framework 2020-2022, which has a range of short-medium term intervention.”

Present at the event were the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Olawale Fapohunda; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Chief Mrs Mojisola Fafure; Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi; Commissioner for Information and Values Orientation, Aare Muyiwa Olumilua; local government affairs Commissioner, Prof Adio Afolayan and members of the GBV Management Committee.