Mrs Wike Wants Joint Action Against Harmful Practices

In a move to stop harmful practices against women and the girl-child, wife of the Rivers State Governor,  Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike has called  on  key stakeholders  to create a joint platform  to address the challenge.
Justice Eberechi Suzzette Nyesom-Wike advocated a collaboration  between the Federation of International Lawyers (FIDA), the state Ministry of Women Affairs and the Rivers State House of Assembly  as a team to work towards eliminating  the said harmful practices.
She spoke on Tuesday  at her office  in Government House, Port Harcourt  when she received  a delegation  of  the  British Council led by  the  Director of Society,  Mr Mohammed Ahmed.
She said  FIDA and the state Ministry of Women Affairs will  come up with a convention that will sponsor bills to the Rivers State House of Assembly which  will give the needed impetus to eliminate traditional harmful practices against women and violence against the girl-child.
She said: “we are going to work with FIDA and the Ministry of Women Affairs to set up a convention for the  elimination of the discrimination of women.
“We shall  see what laws we can bring out of the convention and sponsor bills to the Rivers State House of Assembly,  so that we can have that needed impetus to eliminate traditional harmful practices to women and violence against the girl,” she said.
She called on the British Council  to support her office to lead the campaign  against harmful  traditional  practices against  women and the girl-child.
The First Lady added that the campaigns  will be taken to  the rural areas, churches and  markets, with the aim  of creating awareness amongst  the people on the dangers of traditional harmful practices and violence against the girl child.
The governor’s  wife appealed  to the state Chief Judge, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra,  judicial officers, lawyers and other stakeholders  to support  the  struggle  to  end harmful  practices against  women.
She added: ‘’I call on the British Council to support My Lord, the Chief Judge of Rivers State in her bid to transform the State Judiciary in terms  of training of Judges, Magistrates and lawyers. There is a need for the reorientation of all of us. I appeal to the British Council to look into the possibility of reopening the Visa office in Port Harcourt .”
The wife of the Rivers State Governor, further appealed to the British Council to consider and give Rivers women a special concession in terms of scholarships.
Earlier, the  Director, Society of the  British Council, Ahmed Muhammed had said the British Council was in the state as part of its obligation to help in improving the educational system of Nigeria
He said the council  is  particularly interested in equipping  young boys and girls with relevant skills.