From Jonas Ike, Abuja.
Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development Hon. Stella Ngwu, members of the Committee, women groups among other stakeholders on Tuesday, called for the Domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, 2015 at state and local councils of the Nigerian federation.
They made the call at a one-day summit on the topic: “Domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, 2015” in Abuja where women groups and other stakeholders converged to brainstorm on the issue.
Speaking on the event, the lawmakers, invited stakeholders and other groups harped on the imperatives of domestication of the Act as a tool for the protection of women and other vulnerable persons in the society.
In an opening remark, the Committee chairman said that the passage of the Act by the parliament and its endorsement the Presidency signaled the birth of legislative activism that would ended all forms of violence against women and vulnerable persons.
She therefore called for the speedy domestication of the newly enacted legislation which has become operational at federal level in all the states and local councils areas of the federation.
Similarly, the Speaker of the House Hon. Yakubu Dogara said that the Violence Against Persons Act if well implemented, will make the right of persons to be respected by all no matter the circumstances.
Dogara who was represented by the House Deputy Minority Leader Hon. Chukwuka Onyema said that government has a responsibility to protect the lives and properties of citizens.
He therefore assured that the National Assembly will ensure that the lives and properties of the citizenry is protected by the government and its agencies.
Other women right groups notably Prof.Joy Ezeilo of Women Aid Collectives (WACU) and Hajia Saidatu Mahadi a gender activist also spoke in the same vein saying that state and local government councils have a responsibility to ensure full implementation of the Act in their enclaves and localities.