Federal Government Prohibits Hotel Stays for Underage Girls
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, announced that the federal government has prohibited the accommodation of underage girls in hotels across the country. This statement was made in Abuja on Saturday during the graduation and grant ceremony for participants of the ‘Unlock training programme,’ organized by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Education, Madam Abiola Arogundade.
The minister specified that the ban will be enforced starting June 20, 2024.
Kennedy-Ohanenye also addressed hospitals, urging them not to refuse emergency cases they are capable of handling. She emphasized the government’s commitment to tackling these issues, saying, “To the beneficiaries here today, I hope you’ve seen the video about our girls being taken to Ghana. You will hear our response on Monday.
“From June 20th, hotels are prohibited from accommodating underage girls. I mean it—no more lodging underage girls and no more bullying. Hospitals must also stop rejecting emergency cases. If any hospital does, I urge all Nigerians to use social media to call out such actions. This is a collective fight.”
During the event, certificates and a grant of N500,000 were awarded to each of the 120 participants with the best business plans. Madam Abiola Arogundade highlighted that the purpose of this initiative is to enhance the participants’ economic potential.
The event was attended by several ministers, members of the House of Representatives, special advisers to the president, and other dignitaries.
