BY NKECHINYERE OGINYI
Some of the communities include Ishieke, Nkaleke Echera unuphu, Nkaleke Echera, Agalegu, Oguzoronweya, Echera Ndiebor, Mbeke Ishieke, Onuenyim Ishieke, and Ndiegu Ishieke.
The event which took place at Oji-egbe Nkaleke primary school Randa, Ebonyi LGA was segmented because of Covid 19.
The Executive Secretary Civil Resource Development and Documentation Center (CIRDDOC) Onyinyechi Okaah applauded the community for taking such a bold step, pointing out that the CIRDDOC with support from UNFPA had recently organized a consensus building in the communities which gave room for the public declaration on the abandonment of the obnoxious practice.
She explained that after the declaration a surveillance team will be set up to ensure that no one practices it in secret and anyone who does such will be prosecuted according to the state VAAP law.
According to them Some members of the community reportedly sneaks into Benue state to cut their female children
"We are here to publicly declare the abandonment of female genital mutilation. Last month, we were here on consensus building on female genital mutilation and most of us here were part of the consensus-building.
"It was on that consensus building that you people asked us to come and witness the public declaration on the FGM abandonment having realized the multiple health implications.
"What it means is that if anyone is cut in the practice after today, such a person will be made to face the law.
We know that some persons are still doing it in secret despite the sensitization and campaign.
"Yesterday we got a report that some people in the Ogbala area now go to Benue state for female genital mutilation so, after the declaration, the next step is to establish a community-based surveillance committee.
"The surveillance team will help to fish out those still practicing FGM in secret whoever is arrested by the surveillance committee shall be prosecuted according to the provisions of the VAAP law and let me also remind us that one of the penalties is that such a person will pay the sum of N500. Sorry for you if you are caught in the act of violating the law whether you are doing it out of ignorance of any type so long as you are practicing FGM be rest assured that you will pay for it", she said.
The CIRDDOC secretary urged women of the community to stop their fellow women from sneaking out to Benue state to mutilate their girl child or ward as alleged noting that mothers are major violators of FGM.
"Women practice type 4, not the fathers. That is why I encourage people to come out and learn and when you learn go back and tell others because I noticed that nursing mothers practice FGM type 4 out of ignorance.
"Let me point it out and retreat, pouring hot water, using potash (nkanwu), powder, or whatever you do on the clitoris it is part of female genital mutilation please desist from doing it.
Women leaders disseminate the information let them know that type 4 is also female genital mutilation. Speak out so that we will know where they are still practicing it". She said.
The traditional ruler of Echera community HRH Eze Sunday Oketa charged the participants from the various communities to be good ambassadors of their area by stepping down the #endfgm campaign.
Another traditional ruler F N Ajaogu said the childbirth monitoring team, is already set and they monitor child births in the communities, and where a girl child is born they mount their surveillance on the girl to avoid mutilation.
Mr. Nwiboko George. Appealed to the people to stop violating the right of their fellow women.
" The government has seen the health implications of FGM and wants us to stop it. This type of thing happened during the killing of twins but when they find out that it was wrong there asked us to stop it which we did. So let us also stop FGM. Imagine going to be prison or paying 500,000 to the government where do we get such money in this village? So let us follow the new trend.
"Report to us if you see it, and as you get home announce it to your community ignorance is not an excuse to law.
Pastor Onyibe Paul's in his submission said " the government has saved us in many ways let's respect the law. They mean good to us it's a government that brought eradication of genuine worm, killing of twins, and other things. In Bible, it was recorded that females should not be mutilated where did we learn this mutilation?. Let everybody raise his or her voice against these FGM because the government doesn't look at faces during the implementation of laws if you default and get arrested don't blame anybody.
A female participant, Nwokoro peace from Oguzoronwe appealed to the married men to use their power and influence to stop the practice of type by nursing mothers in the house while bathing such a child.
