A pro human rights and good governance advocate group – Make A Difference Initiative (MAD) has accused the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) of levity in handling allegations of molestation and sexual abuse of female students in the FCT school for the Blind brought against two teachers.
In an electronic statement issued by the Communication and Advocacy Director of MAD, Lemmy Ughegbe, he noted that issues of sexual abuse and molestation of children and the vulnerable ought to be tacked with more urgency and openness than the FCTA has done.
“The abuse of children and the vulnerable in our society has become too rampant. It is even more worrisome when the abuse is being perpetrated in a school which should be their safe haven”, Ughegbe lamented.
He expressed disappointment with the FCTA over “its lack of urgency, decisiveness and openness in dealing with the matter.”
“The only way to eliminate such devious criminal act such as the molestation of children and the vulnerable, in any form, is to move decisively and bring culprits to book”, he stated
“Sexual predators must be named and shamed to deter others from the devious act”, Ughegbe advocated.
He said the fact that this matter has been on for about 2 months now without the accused being sacked and charged to court or exonerated is an indication of weakness and lack of will by the authority to handle the matter.
On the 17th of July, 2019, Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Mr Chinyeaka Ohaa had suspended two teacher at the School for The Blind, Mr. Ilo Chukwuma and Ebenezer Olateju to pave way for investigation of the allegations of sexual molestation of Blind Students.
The Permanent Secretary also gave the committee, which he constituted one week to submit its report.
MAD is concerned that several weeks after the panel, which was given one week to submit its report, there is yet to be a report on the matter.
