Academy of Science commends Edo preparedness to tackle gender-based violence

Thursday, June 24, 2021 11:09 pm

Mrs. Obaseki with members of the National Academy of Science

By Jethro Ibileke/Benin

The National Academy of Science has commended the Edo State Government for its zeal in the fight against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), in the State.

Spokesman of the Academy, Prof. Friday Okonofua, gave the commendation on Thursday, when members of the Academy toured some of the facilities set up by Governor Godwin Obaseki-led government, for the management of gender-based violence in the State.

The team was conducted round the facilities by wife of the State Governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, who chairs Edo State Gender Based Violence Management Committee.

While at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (also known as the Vivian Centre), the Coordinator of the Centre, Dr. Egbe Enobakhare, who briefed the visitors, said:

“We do rapid tests for HIV, and for Syphilis, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, and we have a tool for collecting information from them. We take time to obtain samples for forensics and from our records we get no less than 26 new cases every month.”

Afterwards, the team proceeded to visited the Daisy Danjuma Shelter For Vulnerable Persons which has a 200 bed hostel for boys and 40 bed hostel for girls, a dinning room, training hall, recreation centre and clinic.

Speaking with journalists after the tour, the spokesman of the Academy, Prof. Okonofua, described the centre as one of the best shelters he has seen.

“I am very impressed. This is one of the most comprehensive shelter-houses I have been to and I have visited quite a lot, because it contains everything that someone who is in an emergency situation of this sort needs to have.

“We are very happy that the government has been able to provide such facilities.

“On behalf of the President of the Academy and other members of the Academy, we are very delighted and we are happy to be working with the First Lady of Edo State in this important project, to ensure that gender-based violence and other factors negatively affecting women and boys are mitigated in short and long-term basis. This provides opportunity for the Edo State government to do so,” Okonofua said.

Earlier, the Chair of the National Academy of Science Professor Ekanem Braide and the Executive Secretary of the Academy Dr. Doyin Odubanjo, during a courtesy visit with the First Lady of Edo State, stated that the body has been tasked by the Ford Foundation as the grant administrators of the gender-based violence project in Abia, Niger, Ekiti and Edo States.

According to her; “As you can see, its a collection of top scientists and if you look around you will see that most of the fellows are heads of top establishments or chairmen of committees.”

Dr Doyin Odubanjo said; “in terms of this particular project, the academy was contacted by Ford Foundation to serve as the grant manager and technical partner to the States, currently four states and we hope that this can be expanded across the country.”