The Women’s Network has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to approve the Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal of Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Educational Institutions Bill that was passed by the 9th National Assembly.
The group also suggested that educational institutions in Nigeria should develop a policy against sexual and gender harassment to ensure the well-being of girls and create a secure learning environment.
Mrs. Ladi Bala, the President of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, conveyed these requests in Calabar, emphasizing the need for justice for female students of the Faculty of Law, University of Calabar.
She strongly criticized the alleged sexual harassment by Prof. Cyril Ndifon, the suspended Dean of the Faculty of Law.
The Women’s Network, operating under the Women’s Voice and Leadership Project of ActionAid Nigeria and supported by Global Affairs Canada, released a statement in Calabar during their meeting.
They condemned the unethical practice of exchanging sex for grades, urging for stringent actions against Prof. Ndifon due to the seriousness of the allegations.
The group praised the University of Calabar’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Florence Banki, for promptly suspending Prof. Ndifon and demanded a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
They stressed the importance of prosecuting Prof. Ndifon to set an example and deter others from similar actions.
The Women’s Network encouraged other educational institutions to follow the University of Calabar’s lead in creating a safe environment for girls to speak out against sexual and gender-based violence.
They expressed concern that such incidents are prevalent in various tertiary institutions and highlighted the need for proper laws to address this issue before it hampers the education and growth of girls and women.
