Unsafe Abortion: Ikeja LG Boss Pledges Partnership with WARDC, Calls for Community-wide Action

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The Executive Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Comrade Akeem Olalekan Dauda, has admitted that government efforts alone are not enough to tackle unsafe maternal health practices, calling for stronger community participation and advocacy to protect women and girls.

Dauda made the disclosure at the screening of a memorial documentary and advocacy meeting on the prevention of maternal deaths from unsafe maternal health practices held in Ikeja.

He pledged that Ikeja Local Government would partner with the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) to strengthen advocacy and community awareness on maternal health and the protection of the girl child.

According to him, many healthcare services and support systems are already available at the local government level, but poor awareness remains a major challenge.

Dauda disclosed that Ikeja Local Government has six wards and five primary healthcare centres, two of which operate round the clock, with matrons and counsellors available to attend to residents.

He, however, expressed concern that many residents remain unaware of the services available to them, resulting in some people resorting to self-medication and potentially unsafe practices.

“I know the government, we are doing our best, but I know our best is not enough. We’ll continue to talk to our people,” he said.

The council chairman also called on religious leaders and other community stakeholders to play a greater role in educating young people, noting that youths often listen closely to messages from imams and pastors.

He said building a strong community around maternal health advocacy would enable government, civil society organisations, religious institutions and other stakeholders to work together to reduce preventable deaths.

Dauda also shared a personal experience involving a young girl who became pregnant while living with him, saying the situation could have ended tragically had an elderly woman in the community not noticed what was happening and raised an alarm.

He said the incident reinforced his belief that society must take collective responsibility for protecting vulnerable girls.

“We are all victims, one way or the other,” Dauda said, urging WARDC and other stakeholders to intensify advocacy and capacity-building programmes.

He further expressed concern over reports of young girls taking pills and concoctions without proper medical guidance, stressing the need for greater awareness and access to appropriate healthcare.

Dauda said Ikeja Local Government was ready to work with WARDC and other stakeholders to build stronger community structures capable of protecting the girl child and preventing avoidable maternal deaths.

“We can do a lot together so that we can save the girl child,” he said.

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