NGO Raises Alarm over Alleged HIV Prevalence in Kogi

By Yekini Jimoh in Lokoja

A non-governmental organisation has raised the alarm over reports about increasing prevalence of HIV in Kogi State. The Kogi State coordinator for Sustainable Mechanism for Improving Livelihood Empowerment (SMILE), Mr. Kehinde Arowosegbe, made this known during an advocacy workshop for ministries, departments and agencies of governments on the right of children, their welfare and their protection from abuse. He said the NGO was working very hard to sensitise the public on the need to tackle HIV epidemic because when the parents die, the society would be left to carter for a retinue of orphans.

Arowosegbe said, “Against the misgivings that HIV pandemic has dwindled, it has not abated even though so much has been done to curtail its prevalence. There is danger posed by the activities of trailer drivers at trailer parks in the State with female hawkers especially in Lokoja, Okene and Obajana at night.”

He alleged that Obajana in Lokoja Local Government Area, where the biggest cement factory in Africa is situated, was taking the lead in the incidence of HIV in the state.

He said one of the popular cement factories located in Obajana had the biggest trailer park where these activities also take place.

“These female hawkers are exposed to the dangers of the dreaded disease by engaging in sexual acts with these drivers. And you know if treatment is not initiated within 72 hours against the disease, it may become difficult to overcome,” he stated, adding, “Kogi is the only state that shares boundaries with nine states including the FCT. Because of inter border transmission of the disease, Kogi is vulnerable. If we don’t tackle it now it will affect many children as the activities of trailer drivers at their pack will have a multiplier effect.”

He said a lot needed to be done by stakeholders to support the ministry of health to tackle the HIV pandemic in the state.

“Thank God for the Child Right Act in Nigeria which was signed to law in 2002 and was domesticated and signed into law in Kogi State in 2009. Children are being abused and their rights being denied. It could be sexual abuse or harassment.”

Arowosegbe said ActionAid, SMILE and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) were working seriously to protect children from every abuse.

He called for stakeholders to prioritise healthcare of children and their welfare, adding that there was need to build capacity for collaboration among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAS), as well as meaningful engagement of stakeholders especially by the MDAS in the process of tackling the HIV epidemic in the state.

Arowosegbe also commended Kogi State for being one of the few states in Nigeria that has functional family court system.

“A child cannot be tried in a conventional court because they are supposed to be referred to juvenile courts or family courts.

“In other states children languish in prison not meant for them because they don’t have the proper courts to address their issues,” he added.

He said Kogi has family courts in more than 10 local governments, adding that such juvenile courts has made it easy for cases relating to children to easily be dispensed with.