In his administration’s determination to end Gender based violence in the state, Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah ,Friday, inaugurated the “Steering Committee Members/Judges in Strengthening institutional and community responses to End GBV/Domestication of Enugu States Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel Approach.”
Performing the inauguration Friday, June 9,2025 at Government House, Governor Mbah said Enugu state has zero tolerance to gender violence and the policy will protect everyone( women, children and men) and give everybody, a voice.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Chidiebere Onyia, Governor Mbah said
Pix: SSG, Prof Chidiebere Onyia
Enugu state will go to all length to address gender based issues and most importantly , put in activities and infrastructure insistently to be proactive.
He disclosed that they will monitor the activity, track it and will have quarterly engagement of the successes that the committee has achieved in terms of reference , which he said, will be sent to the committee.
Governor Mbah added that the terms of reference will be performance indicators. He explained that they will tighten those terms of reference indicators so that they monitor what they are doing in terms of cost input and value added.” This is very important to us”, .he said
Speaking on the constitution of the Committee members, Governor Mbah said members were drawn from within the government and the civil society. He added that the government has selected people who are very committed to this goal.
He named Agencies that are involved to include the Civil society organisations, , police, the ministry of agriculture headed by the Commissioner , ministry of local government through Development and Chieftaincy matters , the ministry of Human Development and Poverty Eradication, led by Commissioner, the ministry of Trade and Investment led by Commissioner ( represented) the Ministry of Justice , ministry of health, ministry of Education, the ministry of labour and productivity, among others.
The Governor noted that they are going to use the Oputa panel module ,” So, we have a module, module in terms of the approach that we are going to be contextualising to their peculiar situation.
“The key thing is that Terms of Reference for the work of the steering committee will be shared within the week, so that they can collectively build the measurability instrument .” he said.
The SSG noted that the governor was particular that there would be self deliverables from that , to hold people responsible in the matters relating to gender and violence to deter people that would have by culture , by association step into that space.
” We want to protect women , protect our children and in the case of violence against men, protect our men. Men are being abused also, so, we have to give everybody a voice and this Steering committee will see that out and work towards that objective.
“In Enugu state, we have zero tolerance for gender base violence and we have a committee that is blended , very robust to make sure that we continue to put Enugu state on the map and our citizen feel safe in whatever socio-economic level they belong to that they will not be abused , That is the partnership we are looking for”, Onyia said.
He named the Commissioner for Children , Gender and Social Development, Hon. Mrs Ngozi Enih as Chairman and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Legal Matters, Barrister Osinachi as Secretary. He said that they will be responsible for the activities of the committee and the civil service membership will also hold them accountable ,”for this is that partnership that we are looking for”, Onyia said.
Responding on behalf of other members, the chairman of the committee and Commissioner for Children, Gender and Social Development, Mrs Ngozi Enih, assured that the committee will ensure that Enugu state is free of any form of violence .
She said they will go to the grassroots and speak to the people and know what they are passing through. The chairman added that they will also encourage the men to speak out .
” I can assure you that the selected men and women you inaugurated today are going to make sure that Enugu state is free from any form of violence and just as you stated, gender-based violence is not only limited to the female gender, . some men go through violence and we encourage them to speak out , That is the essence of going down to the grassroots and to also invite our men to speak out to ensure that the policy which Enugu state is going to domesticate is for everyone.
“We are not going to disappoint the governor of Enugu state . We understood the good works he is doing for Enugu state and we are going to be part of that good work, she assured. “
Enih said they are going to use Oputa panel approach and they are going to tour the 17 Local Government areas of the state to get first hand information on what the people are going through at the grassroot. This she said was necessary “because policy is meant for the people and a policy should suit the people.
“Every community has its own peculiar problem, that is why the government decided that if we are going to domesticate the gender policy , we should hear first class from the people who owns the policy.
, both the changes that they desire to see. This is the reason we are using this approach , “she said.
Speaking further, Enih said the committee members are also going to serve as Judges . “As we gather this information from our people , we come back to sit down and tailor it down in a way it is going to suit ndi Enugu and then our policy is ready.,”
The chairman assured that the policy will be implemented and will not be a shelve document.. She explained that, that is the reason why they will go to the grassroots and meet the people , so that they will know about the policy, that it is for them.
“If people are aware that there is such policy, they will look for enforcement of that policy .This is not one of the policies that are going to lie on the shelf . I don’t think there is any policy in Enugu state that is not being implemented and this is not a policy that will sit on the shelf, not on the watch of His Excellency, Dr. Peter Mbah, not on the watch of the honourable commissioner for children, gender and social development.
“Selected members of the team are men and women who are dedicated , who want to see the change ,who believe that the tomorrow our governor says is indeed here, “Enih said.
Author: Maureen Ikpeama