A seeming ominous signal likely to challenge the spiritual well being and the right to lives of the unborn people in Imo state has emerged as the Imo State House of Assembly has passed a Bill into Law for purposes of legalizing abortion.
This shocking revelation of okaying procurement of abortion by women and accomplices has been signed into law by Governor Rochas Okorocha. The law is to be cited as Imo State Law of Nigeria Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law No 12 of 2012, even as Catholic Medical Doctors are opposed to the practice.
The law was sponsored by the member representing Ahiazu Mbaise in the Imo State Legislature, Hon Mrs Adaku Ihuoma, who is also the Majority Leader of the House.
It would be recalled that in the immediate past House, during the reign of Rt Hon Goodluck Nanah Opiah as Speaker, abortion issue generated controversy as Knights of St Mulumba of the Catholic Church, the clergy and laity of the church stormed the State Assembly in protest to show resentment against the proposed Bill to legalize abortion. At the public hearing, the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri, Archbishop Anthony Obinna led the anti-abortion campaign prompting the past lawmakers to adjourn deliberations of the Bill sine die. However, Pro-lifers in the Catholic Church have continued the anti-abortion campaign while civil right organizations and women groups continue to seek the passage of such laws.
Ironically, the present House has delved into the matter by passing into law, a section that promotes and allows abortion which the State Governor has given assent to.
The law is to be cited as Imo State Law of Nigeria Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) law No 12 of 2012 and signed into law by the Governor on May 29, 2012.
The title of the law is “ A law to eliminate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence including physical, physchological, domestic , harmful traditional practices, discrimination against remedies for victims and punishment of offenders.
While section (9) states that “Every woman shall have a right to health, which shall be understood to mean the enjoyment of the highest level of physical, mental and social well-being, health care services, including those related to family planning in particular, rural woman shall have the right to have access to adequate health care facilities, including information, counseling and services in family planning, Section 1 of the law further states “Every Woman shall have the right to enjoy reproductive rights including the right to medical abortion in cases of sexual assault, rape, incest and where the continued pregnancy endangers the life or the physical, mental, physcological or emotional health of the mother”
Meanwhile, the Catholic Medical Association of Imo State in its reaction, gave an interpretation of the law and its implications, saying the law is totally unacceptable.
Speaking to this newspaper in an interview on the law, Chairman of the Association, Academician Prince Dr Phillip Njemanze, wondered when the Bill was introduced, debated and passed into law by the Imo State House of Assembly.
Hear him “This law is devastating. It implies that abortion has been legalized in Imo State. It baffles me that such law can come into existence in the State. This was what the National Assembly had rejected and expunged . It is against humanity. Apart from legalizing abortion,it also legalizes IVF, which is intro fertilization. It encourages eggs trafficking in the State. This lend credence to the revelations by the European Union Policy Report which says that Nigeria is an exporter of ovarian eggs”
Njemanze who is also Chairman, Global Prolife Alliance, Imo State chapter, alleged if the law effectively takes off, in the next 15 years , most women in the State whose eggs were taken will die of ailments ranging from liver failure and infertility.
He expressed concerns that if the law is not repealed, it will go down in history that Imo State is the only State in Nigeria that promotes and encourages abortion.
“The State will become a hub of harvesting aborted tissues.Our women will die in their numbers” he stated.
He continued “ This is unaceeptable. The Catholic Medical Association is against it. We condemn it in its entirety”.
Njemanze recalled that when the issue came up during the era of Ikedi Ohakim adminstration the then State Governor and the State House of Assembly listened to the outcry to the people of Imo State and retreated, stressing that it is strange that the present lammakers and the State Governor allegedly smuggled in the idea again.
“We are stunned that the issue was re introduced without any robust debate. But I can assure you that we will resist it. It is a criminal for such a law to be made for us. They have to explain to the people of Imo State and I want to assure you that we will never be intimidated” he concluded.
Trumpeta gathered that the Bill was the handiwork of International Organizations and high profile syndicate promoting alleged unwholesome sex organ related acts that are in contrast to societal values obtainable in the country. A source revealed that any state in Nigeria that passes the Bill into law stands to benefit certain grants patronage from the organizations. The law not only encourages abortion but also promotes gay and same-sex practices.
In a related development, women from Umuguma Community in Owerri West LGA demonstrated at the gates of Government House, Owerri.
They called for the destruction of a baby factory they claim exists at Umuguma. Speaking to the aggrieved women, the Sole Administrator, Owerri West LGA, Arnold Nelson, appealed to the women to be calm as government will look into their request.
Speaking on behalf of the women, the Government Liaison Officer (GLO), Ambassador Clinton Obiyo said the baby factory in the area still exists and is operational, as it is sited beside the home of the traditional ruler of the area, Eze George Ugorji.
In her comments, a woman leader in the area, Josephine Okorocha, said the factory has existed over three years in the area and called on the State Government to look into the issue.
