BY OSE EHEBHA
BENIN CITY – As part of efforts to stem the tides of human trafficking in State, Edo State Government has commenced moves to re-activate Adult Education Centres across 18 local government ares of the state.
Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Gender Issues, Efosa Uyigue made the disclosure at an awareness programme in Ekpoma, on the topic ” Girl Child Education on Eradication of Human Trafficking in Edo State”, held in collaboration with Esan West Local Government Council.
The special adviser explained that the move was to boost education of the girl child who was most vulnerable to human trafficking.
According to her, statistics indicated that only infinitesimal percentage of educated girls were victims of human trafficking, hence the decision of the state government to make efforts to educate the girl child in the state.
She said the Adult learning programme which was launched with 30 females, comprising three from each of the 10 wards of Esan West Local Government would be free and flexible.
Earlier in a courtesy call on the Esan West Local Government chairman, Hon. Patrick Aguinede, the Special Adviser appealed to the council boss to revive the Adult Education Centres in the local government area.
She intimated the chairman that the idea was to enable young women who missed out on schooling to have another chance to be educated.
The council chairman in his response pledged to carry out comprehensive rehabilitation of the centres, in terms of quality of the facilities and staffing.
“We are irrevocably committed to improving the standard of the various centres so that our people can benefit maximally. I place high premium on the girl child education”, he stressed.
The chairperson, Women Development Programme (WDP) Mrs Anne Aguinede stressed the importance of the sensitization programme, adding that it was geared towards educating the girl child, as a way of eradicating human trafficking in the state.
“Lack of education promotes the activities of trafficking as uneducated are mostly victims of human trafficking and ending up as sex slaves”, she Explained.
She added that of the education of the girl child will increase political participation of women, help her prevent unwanted pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and boost her earnings, thereby reducing poverty at family level.
Mrs. Aguinede was decorated by Special Adviser as the state ambassador on girl child in Esan West Local Government Area.
