NBA RECOGNISES ESLF FOUNDER’S HUMANITARIAN WORK…AS THE FOUNDATION & NBA PARTNER TO SUPPORT IDPS, SGBV SURVIVORS.
The Founder, Eunice Spring of Life Foundation (ESLF) and Wife of the Governor of Benue State, Dr. Eunice Ortom, has expressed willingness to partner with the Nigeria Bar Association to curb the menace of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Internally Displaced Persons Camps and the society at large.
Dr. Ortom made this known while addressing members of the Nigeria Bar Association, Makurdi Chapter during their visit to present an award of recognition on her for her service to humanity.
The Governor’s wife who reiterated ESLF’s commitment to providing support for survivors and victims of SGBV, acknowledged the key role which lawyers play in ensuring order and justice in the society, and invited them to partner with her Foundation to achieve more positive results for the oppressed.
The ESLF Founder who decried the prevalence of SGBV in IDP camps and the larger society, called on relevant bodies to provide, not only legal redress for survivors and victims, but permanently relocating them to their ancestral communities or safer and more conducive environment to enable them live decent lives.
Dr. Ortom who pointed out that several Benue communities have long been undergoing the grueling ordeals and displacement due to herdsmen attacks on Benue communities, stressed that Benue IDPs deserve proper attention and fair treatment from the Federal Government like their counterparts in the North East.
She expressed confidence in the ability of NBA Makurdi and its leadership to advocate at the federal level for better living for IDPs, stressing that the track record of humanitarian work by its Chairman points to the impact the association could make.
Presenting the award to Dr. Ortom, the Chairman, NBA Makurdi Chapter, Barr. Justin Gbagir, commended her for her humanitarian work which, he noted, began long before she became First Lady of the State.
Barr. Gbagir who said he had closely done development work with Dr. Ortom in his days as Chairman of Benue Non-Governmental Organisations Network (BENGONET), praised her for maintaining her trademark humility even after assuming the position of First Lady.
He stressed that as a body guided by the motto of “promoting rule of law”, the NBA fully supports the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law of the State which he emphasized remains the only panacea to solve the intractable problem of herdsmen attacks in Nigeria.
Barr. Gbagir outlined various humanitarian interventions NBA had embarked on and appealed to the First Lady to lend her voice to support its advocacy.
