By Nefishetu Yakubu
Benin – A Bill for a law to prohibit violence against persons in Edo on Monday, passed second reading at the state House of Assembly.
Leading debate for passage of the bill, its sponsor, Mrs Elizabeth Ativie (APC-Uhumwode), said that the bill would address all forms of abuse against any offender.
”The bill when passed, will address all forms of violence against both gender, including children. It will also seek to prosecute offenders who abuse girls,” she said.
Ativie noted that the bill became necessary due to the alarming rate of domestic violence against women, children, and even men, in the state.
Other lawmakers, who unanimously supported the bill, said that its passage would stem the tide of domestic violence and abuse against vulnerable persons.
In his remarks, the Speaker, Kabiru Adjoto, who summed deliberation on the bill, said ”it is high time the state came up with a law to address the high rate of violence and abuse against vulnerable persons’’.
Adjoto directed that the bill should be sent to the Committee on Women Affairs for fine-tuning within two weeks.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers confirmed the appointment of Mr Audu Omogbai as Clerk of the House.
(NAN)
