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Nine local council areas of Imo State have jointly adopted an action plan to end the age-long practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
Representatives of the LGAs adopted and signed the action plan at a one-day state-level meeting to validate FGM elimination organised by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the National Orientation Agency in Owerri on Wednesday.
The LGAs included Ehime Mbano, Ideato North, Ihitte-Uboma, Ikeduru, Isu, Ngor-Okpala, Njaba, Oguta, and Owerri West.
The resolution was read out by the representative of Oguta LGA, His Royal Highness, Eze Albanus Ozuruoha, the traditional ruler of Uwaorie Agwa Autonomous Community, Oguta LGA of Imo.
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Ozuruoha who thanked UNICEF for their commitment to the elimination of FGM pledged to ensure that the practice was completely abolished in the affected LGAs.
‘We, representatives of the nine LGAs have committed to the implementation and monitoring of the action plan to ensure that FGM is no longer practised.
‘We are also committed to strict enforcement of the Imo State anti-FGM law of 2017, continuous education of mothers and support of all efforts made by different communities towards the elimination of the obnoxious practice’, he said.
Earlier in an address, the UNICEF Chief of Enugu Field Office, Mr Ibrahim Conteh said the Fund would create the enabling environment for effective implementation of the action plan.
Conteh who was represented by UNICEF’s FGM consultant, Mr Benjamin Mbakwem added that multi-sectoral coordination, as well as data collection and utilisation, would be strengthened to promote response to the action plan.
He called on the LGA representatives to disseminate the message to their various communities for a more efficient implementation of the plan.
The event was attended by representatives of the state’s Ministries of Women Affairs and Health as well as security agencies, traditional and religious leaders.
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