Circumcision of girls to attract 14 years imprisonment

The Chairman of Ngor Okpala council of traditional rulers, Eze Geoffrey Okoro, the Oko 1 of Upe in Imo State has warned that anybody within the local government caught for circumcising a girl child risks 14 years imprisonment.

Eze Okoro gave the warning at a one day training for surveillance team set up to monitor compliance to the public declaration against female circumcision in Ngor Okpala local government area of Imo State.

The training was organized by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Imo State with support from the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

According to the traditional ruler, it is a criminal offense to perform any form of genital mutilation (FGM) on a girl child adding that it attracts 14 years imprisonment.

He enjoined the monitoring team to report any parent or health worker who performed the act on a girl child.

Earlier, the NOA Imo State Director, Vitus Ekeocha said the Community based child protection committee have been trained to help disseminate information on the dangers of female genital mutilation as well as report anyone caught for indulging in it.

He charged them to monitor activities around new born girl children in their assigned communities and send in their reports every month.

Girl Child specialist, Nnenna Eneremadu said female genital mutilation is anything done to adjust the private part of a girl child adding that such are acts of violence against the child and society at large.

According to her, studies have shown that most commercial sex workers are circumcised adding that the act does not ward off promiscuity as believed by many.

UNICEF consultant for Imo and Ebonyi States, Ben Mbakwem explained that circumcised women experience difficulty during labour and child birth adding that Nigeria has the highest number of circumcised women world over.

According to him, the Federal Government is developing a new policy to end FGM in Nigeria adding that there is no spir