By Amuche Agbo
The Wife of Ebonyi State Governor Chief (Mrs) Rachel Umahi has charged surveillance team on Female Genital Mutilation set up by her office in partnership with UNFPA to rise to their responsibilities towards ensuring zero practice of the menace in the State.
Mrs Umahi gave the charge while receiving the report of the team which is made up of traditional, religious, women and youth leaders in the Communities of Ohaukwu and Ezza South Local Government Areas respectively at the Women Development Center Abakaliki, the State capital.
Addressing the team, Mrs.Umahi represented by the Coordinator Family Succor and Upliftment Foundation Evang. Chukwuma Elom highlighted steps taking by her office with UNFPA including visiting all the Communities in the Council Areas, dialogue
and total declaration against FGM before setting up the team, said she is committed towards ending the problem and tasked the people to do everything possible in ensuring that no female is mutilated either by cutting, rubbing, using of vegetable or medicalization.
She warned patent medicine dealers, nurses among others to stay clear from FGM practice in the State, adding that anybody caught would be be arrested and prosecuted as domesticated in the Vapp-Law to serve as deterrent to others while saying that her office would soon launch mobile court where offenders will be trialed
On his part, the traditional ruler of Ameka Community in Ezza South LGA Eze Martins Oyibe who condemned practice of the Female Genital Mutilation noted that he has worked assiduously towards ensuring zero practice of FGM in his entire Community as it has wreaked much havoc on women and girls in the society.
However, the traditional ruler of Ameka Community in Ngbo, Ohaukwu LGA observed that circumcising a woman is bad and condemned the practice in its entirety, saying that Women should be allowed the way God created them to be.
He added that they have set up task force committee in his Community that was made up of youths, women and men to ensure total abandonment on the practice of such obnoxious act to save life of Women and girls.
In their reactions Reverend peter Elom of Methodist Church and Reverend Polycarp Agbo described FGM as the archaic traditional belief of the forefathers during their reign on earth and condemned its practice in this present generation, noting that it had lead so many Women and girls into dangerous problems, added that efforts has been put in place to fight the menace to stand still and advocated for its proper sensitization in the churches, schools, market places, public gatherings among other areas to inculcate people on the dangers of FGM practices in their various localities.
Collaborating, the town union President of Osulakpa Community in Ohaukwu Patrick Otozi and the youth leader of Umunaga Idembia in Ezza South Jeremiah Ifere hinted there no FGM practice in their Communities as they have embarked on massive campaign to eradicate the suffering of Women.
The duo maintained that they have set up surveillance committees in their areas and strict monitoring of tradition birth attendant so as to checkmate the exercise and promised to make sure it is eliminated.
Lending her voice, the woman leader of Amuzu Ward in Ezza South LGA Chukwu Eucheria expressed satisfaction on the steps taking by Her Excellency for total eradication of FGM in State and urged women and girls to resist such practices at all times to guarantee safety of their lives.
Meanwhile, Mrs Abah Beatrice and Ujube Maria regretted the alarming rate of the practice of FGM in the society despite its harmful effect and advocated that Women should be allowed the way God created them for a better society.