Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Gombe State Government has expressed sadness over a report ranking the state as number one in the incidences of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in the country. That even as the government disclose plans of a stringent law to change the narrative.
This was stated by Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Prof. Ibrahim Njodi, the government is open to alliance with organizations to address the incidences of SGBV, drug abuse and kidnapping in the state.
According to a statement issued by Ismaila Uba Misilli, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Yahaya on Media and Publicity, the SSG spoke while hosting a coalition of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) which was setup to push for the domestication of Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP)Act in the state.
He said: “Governor Inuwa Yahaya has since established the Ministry of Internal Security and Ethical Orientation to provide security to the people of the state while carrying out pro social activities that could re-orient the minds of the people.
“There is a strong correlation between the abuse of substance and the tendency to commit crime of despicable proportion, this was why the Governor of Gombe State appointed a Special Adviser (SA) on drugs and Narcotics,” Njodi said while thanking the coalition for standing against violence, assuring of the State Government’s readiness to work in partnership with the group.
Speaking on the ranking of the high on the index of SGBV the leader of the coalition, Mrs. Dudu Mamman Manuga said, the situation was worrisome hence the forming of the coalition which she called “Violence Against Persons Alliance” to address the incidences in the state.
According to Misilli, Mrs. Manuga said: “The coalition has since submitted a zero draft bill to the Gombe State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice for the promulgation of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law in Gombe state.