Uju Kennedy-Ohanaeze, the Minister of Women Affairs, has stated that the girls involved in Niger State’s intended orphan mass marriage will be empowered.
While the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, suggested (but then cancelled) a mass wedding for the 100 orphans in his area, the minister sued him over it.
Mrs Uju, whose work is determined to provide a better life for the girls, stated that her ministry intends to empower orphans.
“Those that have finished secondary school, they could enter an open university while they’re doing their businesses or we would get a job for them while they’re doing their business when they’re going to school,” she said on Friday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.
“Then those that have not finished secondary school will go back to school and finish. This is something that will be applicable to them: going to an open university and equally having something to do. Like this PoS, those that have finished secondary school and are both 18, we could allow them to start earning money while they are going to school.”
‘Case is Not Yet Withdrawn’
She also clarified that the suit challenging the proposed mass marriage has yet to be withdrawn.
“The case is not yet withdrawn. I want to make that clear. How do I withdraw a case in a day?” the minister queried.
“Well, before I even withdraw the case, we have to go back to court and then tell the court that we have settled. We are withdrawing the case. Do you understand?
“How can I go and withdraw? We are still trying to organise ourselves on how to partner well and get this problem sorted.”