Uju Kennedy

Minister of Women Affairs, Honourable Uju Ohaneye, has said the Federal Government would no longer allow underaged girls to be lodged in hotels across the country.

She said this was part of the precautionary measures to halt human trafficking especially Nigerian girls.

She made the disclosure at the weekend while speaking on the occasion of Graduation and Grant Presentation of financial assistance to youth who participated in the Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education, organised by the Office of the Senior Special Adviser to the President on Technical Education, Abiola Arogundade.

The Minister of Women Affairs remarks was on the heels of a trending video of Nigerian girls who were trafficked to Ghana for prostitution.The teenage girls were aged between 15-16 years.

Aside from a ban on lodging of underaged girls, Honourable Ohaneye also said her Ministry was determined to stop premature deaths of Nigerians as hospitals would no longer be allowed to reject emergency patients.

She said:”Women have been suffering in this country. Today, we have talked about allowing the poor to breathe in this country.

“Meanwhile I am sure you saw the video circulating about our girls taken to Ghana. Did you see it? Very good. Action will start on Monday. You will hear about our action first thing on Monday morning. That is the first I am going to approach and see what we can do about it.

“Nigeria must be better. From 20th (June), we have directed hotels to put a sign outside from the Ministry of Women. No lodging of underage girls. (Otherwise) what happened in Niger State will be an understatement to what will happen in the FCT and I mean it. No more lodging of underage girls and no more bullying in schools.

“And our hospitals will also put a sign of ‘No more rejection of emergency patients.’ These are some of the major issues we have in this country.”