Abuja – Prof. Innocent Ujah, Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), has commended the National Assembly for passing the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Bill.
Ujah told newsmen in Abuja that laws were made to guide the people on their conducts.
However, he called for proper implementation of the VAPP bill whenever it was signed into law, adding that a law without implementation was nothing.
“VAPP bill is about rape, it is about domestic violence, it is about rights issues and if the National Assembly has passed that, I think it is a great achievement.
“There are a lot of lawlessness going on and the truth remains that rape and incest is continuous and if there is no law there is impunity.
“It is good that we are guarded by laws, but the other thing is how to implement the laws,” Ujah said.
The director-general, also a gynaecologist, said that there were so many laws that may not have relevance in terms of implementation.
Despite the existence of the law, Ujah recognised social concept which involved the adherence of the citizenry to laws.
“We have the law and the social concept, apart from the law; we must re-orientate our people to the fact that it is not right to rape any girl or woman,” said Ujah.
He recalled repairing a tattered vagina of a 33-year-old lady who was violently raped and felt empathy for her.
“When we are talking about rape victims, we think they are not human beings; we must bring it home to the fact that these are human beings.
“If they are human beings, then we must put ourselves in their positions and not violate the laws,” he said.
Ujah, however, was optimistic that President Goodluck Jonathan would assent to the bill before the end of his tenure.
Reacting to the implementation of the National Health Act, Ujah said the process of implementation had begun.
He said that National Working Group of the Health Act was ensuring that the entire citizenry benefits from it.
“The process has started. I am a member of the research and knowledge management sub-committee of the National Working Group on the implementation of National Health Act.
“There are so many other sub-committees to see to the implementation so that our women and children will benefit from it.
“Not just women and children but all Nigerians and we are expecting that with improved funding, our health services will improve,’’ he said.
According to him, the roles and responsibilities of individuals will be clearly stated in the new arrangements.

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