By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Students and Staff of the Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP), Bauchi have been sensitized on the need to always speak out against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) within the community for prompt action.
The call was made by the Solicitor General /Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Barr Sabiu Adamu Gumba at a One-day Sensitization Campaign for students and staff of ATAP, organized by the Ministry of Justice in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the management of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP), on Wednesday.
The campaign was aimed at creating awareness of the provision of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law and other relevant laws protecting citizens against GBV.
Represented by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Barr Garba Dabo Maleka, the Permanent Secretary said, *So, as students of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, we want you to be safe. You have to be prepared, so that we have an able society, which will come out from our campuses. You are future leaders, future engineers, future scientists, technicians, entrepreneurs, at a prime of your existence.”
Sabiu Adamu Gumba stressed that,
“So, we want you not to select sex as a way of getting marks, credit, or allocation of marks. So what the message is saying is that you, as a students, you should report any act of GBV against any of your colleagues, by reporting this, you have saved someone.*
He added, *And fortunately, the Director here, has already said that yes, the fight is on. He is the Chairman of this campaign in all the tertiary institutions. So you can directly report the matter to his desk. You can even directly report to my office. You can directly report it to the Police.”
The Solicitor General /Permanent Secretary added that, *Even the Counselors here can directly report it. If it’s related to the medical issue, like the issue of rape or violence, you need to seek medical attention and the medical report, will be submitted to us for just prosecution.”
According to him,”Once you remain silent, that means you cover your pain, the matter. And you know you did it. So open up, don’t be silent to report the matter to me. So I really commend the management of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic for supporting this programme, particularly and more especially this time while the students are ready busy with their exams, but they do sacrifice this for us. We really appreciate and we really thank you.”
He then assured that, *Ministry of Justice is always ready and willing to partner with you always in this gender-based violence campaign within the community.”
In his remarks, the Rector, Professor Hashim Sabo Bello, expressed delight to receive the delegation from Bauchi State Ministry of Justice for the sensitization campaign saying, “Your presence here underscores the commitment of the Governor of Bauchi State, to the protection of the rights, dignity of citizens, especially our young people in tertiary institutions.”
He acknowledged the inauguration of ministerial committee on gender and sexual harassment which committee he was privileged to serve as a member inaugurated by Bauchi State Government ten years ago, with the mandate to sensitize higher institutions across Bauchi State on the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law and other relevant laws protecting citizens against gender-based violence and related offences.
According to him, “This shows that the sensitization we are witnessing today is not an isolated event, but part of the deliberate and sustained state government policy to build a society free from all forms of violence, abuse and discrimination. Tatari Ali Polytechnic is therefore proud to be part of this noble assignment.”
Represented by the Director of Ethics and Compliance of the Polytechnic, Dr Abdulkadir Waziri, the Rector said,”I can state without hesitation that the theme of today’s engagement is very timely and aligned perfectly with the course, values of Tatari Polytechnic, that is dignity, integrity, respect for human dignity. Our students are the future leaders, engineers and administrators of Bauchi State and Nigeria. It is therefore critical that they are properly informed of their rights, responsibilities and the legal consequences of acts of violence, harassment and all forms of gender-based violence.”
According to him,”Knowledge of the law is the first line of defence. When our students know that the VAPP law, the Child Rights Law and other relevant statutes exist to protect them, we empower them to speak up, to seek redress and to live in a safe academic environment.”
“I would like to inform the organizers that we have already so advanced, together with the representative of Gender Initiative, we have gone around to sensitize about 90 percent of all our public and private institutions on this issue. And now discussing with the Permanent Secretary, saying that we are going to inform His Excellency so that it is going to align this on committee,” he added.
The Rector added that, “So, here in our campuses, we have already have committee with regard to that. And then we are prosecuting people wherever they are found wanting be they are all workers or students.”
In her remarks, Executive Director of Journalists for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD), Elizabeth Carr, stressed the importance of sensitization campaign against GBV in tertiary institutions considering the negative impacts on the youths.
Represented by Bulak Afsa, She assured that J4PD is always ready to amplify GBV issues until the victims received justice but urged the victim to always speak out.
Leave a Comment