By Abel Johngold Orheruata
The Delta State House Assembly (DTHA) Chairman, Committee on Education, Hon Charles Emetulu has officially unveiled the Campaign/ Sensitization materials for the kick-of of the first phase of National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS) championed nationwide campaign against female victimization and sexual molestation on campus.
Hon Emetulu unveiled the materials yesterday in Asaba when a delegation of the national leadership of NAPS led by the Director of Mobilization & Strategic Engagements and Chairman of the Committee for the proposed nationwide campaign, Comrade Dio Rex Oghale Emeka presented him the materials for unveiling.
While unveiling the materials, the Member representing Ndokwa West State Constituency stated that violence against women and all such related violence cum sexual harassment mitigates against educational advancement in Africa and therefore must be discouraged by all stakeholders.
Hon. Emetulu noted that sex for more marks by lecturers was not the only harassment. “There are also sexual harassment from boys to girls and from girls to boys and lecturers through their indecent dressings. Underage marriage should also be condemned because its even worse than sexual harassment depends on ones view. So, you must look at it holistically in your Sensitization campaign”. He said.
Declaring total support for the NAPS proposed Sensitization campaign, the former students Union activist now lawmaker, assured that whenever the need arises, he will use his good office to bring whoever is found culpable of such offenses to justice.
Hon. Emetulu however enjoined the students leaders to eschew malicious blackmail and unfounded propaganda in the course of this campaign.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Comrade Dio Oghale Emeka Rex disclosed that the flag-off rally was scheduled to hold on the 1st of October 2019, at Asaba and called on all relevant stakeholders to support the initiative.
Comrade Dio stated that the leadership of NAPS had chosen the Chairman House Committee on Education in Delta State House of Assembly as the most appropriate authority for the unveiling of sensitization materials given his oversight role and with the understanding that such campaign will not find its footing without a legal framework vis-a-viz the domestication of the sexual harassment in tertiary educational institutions prohibition act, 2016 in State level.
He posited that the fact that the DTHA Chairman on the Committee on Education was a former Students Union leader who hails from and school in Delta State, it was imperative to kick start such strategic campaign from home hence the first phase of the nationwide campaign will be kicked off in Delta State.