Safe termination of pregnancy: Stakeholders support Ogun assembly bill

THE Ogun State House of Assembly has been commended by stakeholders over the proposed Ogun State Safe Termination of Pregnancy Law, 2026, for initiating the bill.

The stakeholders at a public hearing, on Thursday, in Abeokuta, described the proposed bill as a well-conceived legislation aimed at reducing maternal mortality, protecting healthcare professionals and providing a clear legal framework for safe pregnancy management in the State.

The stakeholders included a former chairman of the state branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Azeem Ashimi, the representative of the state chapter of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Nurse Bello Adejoke, the Onitafin of Otafin, Oba Morufu Adebayo, advocated the need to address the legal ambiguity surrounding safe termination of pregnancy.

Others were representatives of Civil Society Advocacy for Human Rights, Social Development, Alhaji Adesina Adefolahan, the League of Imam and Alfa in the State, Dr Tajudeen Usman, the state chapter of the Society for Gynecology and Obstetric of Nigeria ( SOGON), Dr Shorounmu Tessie, representative of the state command of the Nigeria Police, ACP Glory Agbor Otonko, that of the committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Comrade Yinka Folarin and that of the Centre for Economic Empowerment and Gender Activities, Oduntan Bunmi amongst others.

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They noted that such ambiguity in the legal provisions often resulted in dangerous delays in patient care; calling for adequate indemnity for qualified medical practitioners to prevent unjust penalties.

They also sought the need to put machineries in place to prevent the victims of rape and incest from patronising quacks, by ensuring that only the licensed professionals provide such medical services.

In her remarks, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, said the proposed legislation would establish a framework around safeguarding the lives and health of women while also safeguarding health practitioners offering the services.

She added that the bill would help reduce maternal mortality and provide access to mental health services for women and girls experiencing emotional trauma arising from unwanted pregnancy.

Earlier in his remarks, the chairman, House Committee on Health, Honourable Wahab Haruna, explained that the bill was conceived because “too many of our mothers, sisters and daughters lose their lives or suffer serious harm from complications arising from pregnancy and childbirth, many of which are preventable.”

Likewise, while declaring the stakeholders’ forum open, the speaker, Honourable Oludaisi Elemide, said the proposed legislation was designed to provide “a legal and institutional framework for the safe termination of pregnancy under the defined circumstances.”

He noted that the Assembly considered the increasing incidence of unregulated abortions and considered the resultant deaths of adolescents and women as unacceptable.