Abia working to eliminate human trafficking ― Ikpeazu

The current wave of child trafficking in the country is a source of worry to the wife of the governor of Abia State, Dr Nkechi Ikpeazu.

She has therefore disclosed that efforts were being made in the state to reduce human trafficking to the barest minimum soon.

Speaking as she hosted the State Commandant of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking Against Persons, NAPTIP, ahead of the 2021 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Mrs Ikpeazu emphasised the need for stakeholders to give greater attention to victims and employ their experiences in charting ways of combating and preventing the crime.

The Abia first lady noted, “We need to listen more to the voices of victims even while we focus on bringing their abusers to justice.”

Mrs Ikpeazu said she was leading robust interventions in the area of sexual and gender-based violence, which would deliver an ecosystem in Abia State that would support a reduction in gender-based violence, GBV, including human trafficking, to complement the assignment of NAPTIP.

“We have a GBV data gathering system that is funded by the UNFPA and domiciled in Ministry of Women Affairs. We have a GBV Resource Centre where ideas, strategies and actions are developed to combat GBV. We have a very active GBV Technical Committee and GBV Action Committee which I am Chair. We are working on setting up our own Sexual Assault Referral Centre in the State.
Several operational guidelines and documents are being rolled out in the GBV space to help social workers and caseworkers.”

“Another challenge we are combating is to have functional homes and government-run shelters in the state. We have two in Umuahia and one in Aba and we are trying to engage partners to help us strengthen them.”

“At the rural and local levels, I have instituted a Coalition of Wives of Local Government Chairmen Against GBV. They have appointed GBV Desk officer and are in the processes of appointing Protection Officers in the 17 LGAs”, she disclosed.

Mrs Ikpeazu said the availability of stronger legislation such as the Abia State Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law and the Child Rights Law 2006 under review will help to meet modern realities of protecting women and children especially against trafficking and child labour and assured NAPTIP of a supportive environment to ensure they discharge their duties effectively.

Responding, Mrs Nkem Okafor the Commander of NAPTIP Abia, thanked the Wife of Governor for her efforts to attract NAPTIP to Abia State and providing office spaces for them to kick off operations in the state.

She commended Mrs Ikpeazu’s efforts in the Gender-Based Violence space and her prompt and swift interventions when such aberrations occur and promised the collaboration of NAPTIP with other agencies and allies within the state.

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