From: Emmanuel Uzor, Abakaliki
A coalition of non-governmental organisation in Nigeria, on Wednesday, flagged-off statewide sensitisation programme against Female Genital Mutilation, FGM/C in the state.
Speaking during the event which took place at Holy Ghost Secondary, Abakaliki, leader of the groups, Dr. Wilberforce Otti, noted that the NGOs got interested in female genital mutilation because they did not know that it was still prevalent in the state.
He said the practice has wrecked havoc in the state with many pregnant women, young girls and adults.
According to him, Ebonyi State is 83 per cent on the prevalent rate and it is second highest state that practices the phenomenon.
“Female genital mutilation has caused many problems in the society. A lot of pregnant women could not deliver their babies because of it, some don’t enjoy sexual intercourse because their reproductive organs were mutilated’’, he said.
He explained that the objective of the flag-off was to achieve zero tolerance of the practice in the state and called for collective fight against the practice.
Also speaking Gift Augustine, said the NGOs chose Ebonyi for the flag-off because of the prevalent rate.