Minister of Women Affairs, Honourable Uju Ohaneye, has announced a significant policy change aimed at combating human trafficking in Nigeria.
Speaking at the Graduation and Grant Presentation event for youth who participated in the Technical, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Education program, the Minister declared that the Federal Government would no longer permit the lodging of underaged girls in hotels across the country.
The Minister’s decision comes in response to a disturbing trend highlighted by a viral video showing Nigerian girls trafficked to Ghana for prostitution, some as young as 15-16 years old. Ohaneye emphasized the government’s commitment to preventing such exploitation, stating, “Nigeria must be better.”
In addition to the ban on lodging underaged girls, the Minister announced a new policy requiring hospitals to accept emergency patients without rejection.
She expressed concern over the suffering of women in the country and vowed to take action starting Monday to address the trafficking issue.
The event also celebrated the achievements of 10,000 participants in the Unlock Training Programme, who received training in technical, vocational, and entrepreneurship skills.
The participants were taught how to write and execute business plans, with 120 winners receiving N500,000 each to support their business ideas. Additionally, 80 individuals were awarded for their exceptional skills and were provided with financial support to further develop their businesses.
The programme, which aims to support skills and enterprise development, reflects the government’s commitment to empowering Nigerian youth and fostering economic growth.
Arogundade, the SSA on Technical, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Education, affirmed that such initiatives will continue to be a priority for her office, ensuring that participants receive the necessary support to succeed in their entrepreneurial endeavors.
