By Ikenna Orioha
The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Imo State with support from the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF), has stressed on measures to prevent Covid-19, as well as reduce or contain female genital mutilation for the good and growth of the society.
Sensitizing students of Assemblies of God Bethel Seminary, Umudibia Nekede, Owerri, on Thursday on measures to preventing and controlling coronavirus, State Director, Imo Orientation Agency, Mr. Vitus Ekeocha, told them to always observe COVID-19 protocols by washing their hands with soap and running water, sterilize their hands, use face mask, keep social distance including maintenance of hygiene within and outside their home.
Ekeocha, who reflected that World Health Organization, WHO, was putting in its best to contain COVID-19, added that Imo State government was also putting measures on ground to prevent and control the deadly virus in the state, urging people to discard the rumor that COVID-19 was humanly created to depopulate the world especially Africa.
Instructing the students (females) on the consequences of Female Genital Mutilation and need to protect the girl child, Benjamin Mbakwe, FGM Consultant for UNICEF (covering Imo and Ebonyi States), advised them not to practice female vagina circumcision in order not to endanger their lives.
Pointing out that FGM is an obnoxious cultural practice as state law has been enacted against it, Mbakwe informed the students to attend the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM which is being celebrated yearly across the world.
The Principal of the school, Rev Okechukwu Amadi, said the school would intensify efforts to ensure that Covid- 19 preventive measures are maintained by students and staff, stating that the “awareness program makes a lot of meaning to the school, hence NOA, UNICEF and other interventionists agencies have been doing well to prevent and control coronavirus”.
Madu Jenifer and Eze Emmanuella, on behalf of the students, promised they would always observe COVID-19 rules to live healthy life just as they assured that they would not engage in female genital mutilation which they described as menace to the society.
