The Federal Government has pledged to set up mobile court to adjudicate on cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja on Monday, during a press conference, she said the move was aimed at reviving the activities of the ministry.
According to Kennedy-Ohanenye, the mobile court will work in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice, Attorney General of the Federation, Ministry of Justice, Nigeria governor’s forum, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other Security Agencies.
The Minister stated that the idea to have a mobile court was to ensure quick dispensation of justice for the survival of the voiceless in line with Mr President’s renewed hope agenda, saying that they will work to allow the poor to breathe and not suffocate.
The Minister lamented that those who are still practising Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) would also be tried in this court to put an end to the old traditional practice.
She added partnering with other organisations was to have an innovative way to enforce the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act 2015, and other laws to guide against SGBV-, GBV and FGM.
Kennedy-Ohaneye said that the Ministry’s creche and other underutilised properties will get back to their feet for proper functioning within her 100 days in office.
She assured that the sanitary towels the ministry usually gives to students will now transformed into a setting up “Sanitary Pad Production Centre” as the old method can no longer be sustainable.
According to her, the Gas Cylinder that is being distributed to rural women is no longer sustainable by the ministry, as the ministry is now concerned about who refills the gas cylinder for these women when it is finished.
She said that the ministry will now change the method of such support to charcoal burners and bio-gas stoves, adding that this particular one will be cost-effective for the ministry.
She further said that the ministry had resolved to set up women cooperative society, in form of empowerment to the women, which it will run in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Traders Associations and other international organisations.
“The Ministry has opted to encourage all women groups to form cooperatives and register with the ministry so that the ministry can empower them with different production machines to boost Nigeria’s economy, livelihood of women and for nation development.”
While parleying with student leaders across the country concerning the of sexual harassment case in University of Calabar, the Minister called on DSS to investigate the matter: “Today we had a meeting with student leaders and we have decided that they will partner with our, ministry, Ministry of Women Affairs to fight this sexual harassment.
“We don’t want sexual harassment to be fight only by expelling the culprits or probably sacking them from work, we don’t want that anymore, we want a situation where justice should be done, because if we don’t go for the justice it will continue being a round circle thing, so the students together with Ministry of Women Affairs have decided that Justice must be done in every case judicial actions must taken so that, that people will be called to order and others will learn from it.
“We are starting with the Calabar case because that’s trending case, are are going to write as we have agreed, to the DSS to wage into this investigation, so that the Prof will not go free, not just that he has been sacked, it’s not enough punishment, so let them go in and gather issues that will bring an end to this and the right judicial action will be taken. Remember they said the Prof has been there before, he was sacked before, he came back, now he has gone to court let us not give room for same thing to keep repeating itself, that’s why we want a better investigation to have an advantage over him in court.”
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