BENIN CITY – The National Academy of Science (NAS) has applauded the zeal shown by the Edo State Government in the fight against Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the State.
Members of the Academy expressed their appreciation while on tour with the First Lady, Her Excellency Betsy Obaseki to some of the facilities set up by His Excellency Godwin Obaseki for the management of Gender Based Violence in Edo State.
The Team, while at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), also known as the Vivian Centre, were briefed by the coordinator of the centre Dr. Egbe Enobakhare who said that “we do rapid tests for HIV, and for Syphilis, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C, and we have a tool for collecting information from them. We take time to obtain samples for forensics and from our records we get no less than 26 new cases every month.”
Afterwards, the team proceeded to the Daisy Danjuma Shelter For Vulnerable Persons which has a 200 bed hostel for boys and 40 bed hostel for girls, a dinning room, training hall, recreation centre and clinic.
The delegate Spokesman, Professor Friday Okonofua who briefed newsmen after the tour said “I am very impressed. This is one of the most comprehensive shelter houses I have been to and I have visited quite a lot, because it contains everything that someone who is in an emergency situation of this sort needs to have and we are very happy that the government has been able to provide such facilities. On behalf of the president of the academy and other members of the academy we are very delighted and we are happy to be working with the First Lady of Edo State in this important project to ensure that gender-based violence and other factors negatively affecting women and boys are mitigated in short and long-term basis and that this provides opportunity for the Edo State government to do so.”
Earlier, the Chair of the National Academy of Science Professor Ekanem Braide and the Executive Secretary of the Academy Dr. Doyin Odubanjo during a courtesy visit with the First Lady of Edo State, stated that the body has been tasked by the Ford Foundation as the grant administrators of the gender-based violence project in ABIA, Niger, Ekiti and Edo States.
According to her; “As you can see, its a collection of top scientists and if you look around you will see that most of the fellows are heads of top establishments or chairmen of committees.”
Dr Doyin Odubanjo said; “in terms of this particular project, the academy was contacted by Ford Foundation to serve as the grant manager and technical partner to the States, currently four states and we hope that this can be expanded across the country.”
The First Lady of Edo State, Her Excellency Betsy Obaseki is the Chair of the Edo State Gender Based Violence Management Committee.
