The Ogun State House of Assembly has said it will assist in providing the necessary legislative backing to protect genuine victims of rape and other vulnerable people.
The Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, gave the assurance on Friday while receiving a gender-based group, Gender Development Initiative, GEDIN, at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of GEDIN, Prof. Olubunmi Ashimolowo, urged the House to amend restrictive abortion laws to protect victims of rape, incest, and those with underlying medical conditions.
Ashimolowo, while lamenting that unsafe abortion remains a leading cause of maternal deaths, maintained that the need for safe abortion was not dangerous and that restrictions on abortion force many victims into secrecy, unsafe procedures, and unqualified hands.
She said, “The impact is not just on individual lives; it overburdens our healthcare system, weakens our economy, and ultimately holds back our state’s development.
“Today, I will present concrete evidence on how unsafe abortion contributes to maternal deaths in Ogun State and the economic burden it places on families, hospitals, and our government.”
“According to global statistics, unsafe abortions account for 13 percent of maternal deaths globally, with the majority occurring in developing countries,” she said, noting that the World Health Organization, WHO, estimates that 45 percent of all abortions are unsafe and responsible for 13 percent of maternal deaths in Africa.
“In Nigeria, unsafe abortion accounts for 10-15 percent of maternal deaths, leading to 512 deaths per 100,000 live births.”
Ashimolowo noted that South Africa’s Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act (1996) legalized abortion services while strengthening reproductive healthcare, resulting in a 91 percent reduction in maternal mortality within the first decade of implementation.
She added that the policy led to increased women’s workforce participation, boosting national economic growth.
In his remarks, Speaker Oludaisi Elemide admonished the group to extend its advocacy to the National Assembly, as the restrictive abortion law is on the exclusive list, promising to provide the necessary legislative backing to protect victims.
Also, the Minority Leader, Lukman Adeleye, noted that all the relevant sections of the criminal code and penal code in operation in the country would require amendments to cater to the group’s interests.
