Gombe State Calls on President Tinubu to Act Against Sexual Harassment in Universities
Stakeholders in Gombe State rally for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's urgent assent to the anti-sexual harassment bill aimed at curbing sexual crimes in Nigeria's tertiary institutions
Chukwuebuka Aniakor 
The Joint National Association of People With Disabilities (JONAPWD) in Gombe State has rallied stakeholders to urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to sign the bill against sexual harassment in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions. The bill, already passed by the National Assembly, is currently awaiting the President’s assent.
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During a stakeholder dialogue forum at Gombe State University, participants unanimously called for President Tinubu to urgently sign the bill. The forum was part of a 16-day activism campaign against gender-based violence.
Hajiya Zariyatu Abubakar Hashidu, the local governance manager of State-to-State activity, Gombe Field Office, USAID, emphasized the urgency of the law, stating it was long overdue. She highlighted the importance of the bill in protecting students and reducing the prevalence of sexual harassment.
Hashidu also noted that the bill would protect lecturers from false accusations, bring sanity to the higher educational system in Nigeria, and restore parents’ trust in tertiary institutions.
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Paris Desire Deme, a 300-level political science student at Gombe State University, expressed her support for the bill, stating that it would make students feel safer around their lecturers.
Ishiyaku Adamu, the National Secretary and Gombe State Chairman of JONAPWD, revealed that the association is part of an anti-sexual harassment advocacy cluster project funded by USAID and other partners. The project’s main goal is to campaign for the passage of the anti-sexual harassment bill.
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Adamu stressed the need for the President’s assent due to the high prevalence rate of sexual harassment in tertiary institutions. He expressed his desire to tell President Tinubu that sexual harassment is real, on the increase, and perpetrators are getting away freely.
