The Nigerian Girl Guides Association, NGGA, has said that it will do everything possible to stop the harmful traditional practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in the country.
The NGGA Deputy Chief Commander, Eastern Zone, Mrs Selea Kombo, made this known on Friday, in Enugu, during the 1st Bi-annual Zonal Training at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Enugu.
Kombo said that FGM was a great violation of human rights of the female, whose consent were not usually sought before embarking on such harmful practice on them.
She faulted the claim that circumcising a female, which involved cutting-off of the female’s clitoris, would stop women from enjoying sex or engaging in prostitution.
“I am from Bayelsa state and in my tribe in Bayelsa, we do not do female genital mutilation.
“When you get pregnant as a woman in my place, they believe you have to shed blood before delivery, so they are compelled to cut part of the clitoris.
“They will just touch the clitoris, so that blood will drop. But now, we do not do it anymore because of the harm it causes girls.
“Some areas in Nigeria really cut-off the clitoris, claiming that girls are not meant to enjoy sex. Is that right?” she queried.
The Enugu State Commissioner of NGGA, Mrs. Vera Anike, revealed that the Guides had started engaging with state government and the traditional rulers to end the harmful practice in the state.
Anike added that the association had carried out sensitisation in Udi, Ezeagu and Nara in Nkanu East, to enlighten the communities on the danger of mutilating female genders, stressing that they were ready to do more.
She appealed to concerned organisations and individuals to assist the association to achieve the goal of ending the obnoxious practice in Enugu state.
In her contribution, the Assistant Zonal Trainer of the Guides, Mrs Bukky Abokirisika, said the training was aimed at educating the girl-child on the nutritional value of food they take, especially during their menstruation.
She said that the training would enlighten the participants on how to develop themselves.
Abokirisika urged the states under the Eastern zone, namely Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers, to do more to end FGM in their domains
