The Minister of Women Affairs and Social
Development, Zainab Maina, has stated that it is sheer ignorance that made some
National Assembly members to vote for the controversial bill of early marriage
for girls.
The minister stated this in Abuja, on
Thursday, when she spoke to journalists on constitutional review matters,
adding that her ministry was already lobbying for the bill to be deleted from
the constitution.
“On our visit to the National Assembly
yesterday [Thursday], we have met with five senators who have already signed
that they will vote in favour of deleting the bill,” she stated.
The minister noted that about 23 states had
already passed the Child Right Act and that about eight of the them had already
established family customary courts.
She stated that the ministry had gone further
in visiting the states with the Child Right Act to make sure that they
implemented the laws.
“We have been on advocacy visits in
states, we will go to states houses of assembly, those that have passed the
bill. We would go back to make sure they implement through the provision of
customary courts,” she noted.
Maina then said that before 2015, no child
across the country would be on the street, adding that “we are more concerned
about the girls, we are working with the private sector to make sure that
Nigerian children are off the streets.”
Speaking on the occasion, Executive Secretary,
Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), Saudautu Mahdi,
pleaded with the Senate to revisit the bill.
“We all as a body of Nigerians need to
bring constructive pressure on the National Assembly to delete the
Section 29 (4) (b) of the constitution.”
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