On Friday, the Kogi Assembly committed to putting a stop to child labour and all other types of gender-based violence in the state's mining sector.
The commitment was made at the committee's inauguration at the Lokoja assembly chambers by Mrs Comfort Egwaba, the chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Egwaba termed as "callous" and "unacceptable" the situation in which locals, particularly teenagers, were being exposed to excessive violence and labour at mining sites.
She said that during their study validation and policy discussion, her team learnt about the 'crime' from Mrs Janet Adeyemi, President of the Women Miners Association.
She ordered the state ministry for women's affairs to promptly provide her committee with briefs on these issues as part of its oversight duties.
“In the light of this development, we hereby warn miners, who are fond of such inhuman acts to desist or face the wrath of the law.
“The Gov. Yahaya Bello-led government is out to ensure that the rights of citizens are well protected and that they enjoy the dividends of democracy and not subjected to pains and sorrow,” she said.
Bello received praise from Egwaba for including more women in government than his predecessors had done, and urged the women to support the governor's initiative by providing services that were focused on delivering outcomes.
The lawmaker asked women to support the APC in order for it to fulfil its promises to women, people with disabilities (PWDs), and the state's entire populace.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Asema Haruna, who represents the Adavi constituency, serves as vice chair of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
Mr Aliyu Maikudi, Mr Omotayo Ishaya, Mr Sunday Daku, and Mr Usman Adejoh are additional committee members.
