The Federal Government delivers a stern admonition to hoteliers nationwide, cautioning against the sheltering of teenagers and underage girls in their establishments, under threat of severe penalties.
Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, issued this warning on Saturday during the ‘Unlock Training and Grants’ event in Abuja, organized by Abiola Arogundade, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational, and Entrepreneurship Education. The program, which dispersed N100 million to 200 young entrepreneurs, underscored the government’s commitment to fostering economic empowerment.
Highlighting the urgency of the government’s directive, Kennedy-Ohanenye referenced a troubling incident in January 2023, where students from Federal Government College in Ijanikin, Lagos, were discovered absconding from school to lodge female classmates in hotels. This reprehensible behavior underscores the importance of vigilance and compliance with regulations to safeguard vulnerable individuals.
As the government amplifies its efforts to uphold ethical standards and protect the welfare of all citizens, Kennedy-Ohanenye’s address serves as a clarion call for hoteliers to prioritize safety and integrity in their operations, fostering an environment that promotes dignity and respect for all.
According to reports gathered by YEPS, the students, all residing as boarders, were found to have repeatedly breached the school’s boundaries by scaling its fence alongside their female peers, evading school premises for extended periods.
Investigations conducted by our correspondent unveiled that the students implicated in these incidents ranged in age from 14 to 17 years old.
Likewise, in April 2022, a video circulated on social media capturing the encounter of a 15-year-old boy attempting to check into a hotel room with two girls and another companion, sparking widespread attention online.
The teenage schoolgirls swiftly fled when the voice behind the camera sought to inquire about their intentions.
However, Kennedy-Ohanenye assured that the status quo would no longer prevail.
In a move highlighting the gravity of the Federal Government’s stance, the minister revealed that hoteliers, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory, have been instructed to install signage outside their establishments cautioning potential guests against accommodating underage girls on their premises.
She didn’t stop at warning hotel owners; the minister also addressed school proprietors nationwide, emphasizing the imperative to safeguard students against bullying, whether perpetrated by peers or educators.
She declared, “Nigeria deserves better. Starting June 20th, we’ve mandated hotels to display signage from the Ministry of Women prohibiting the accommodation of underage girls. Failure to comply will see repercussions far beyond what transpired in Niger State, mark my words.
“No more underage lodgers and no more tolerance for bullying in our schools.”
In a continuation, the minister revealed to reporters that the Federal Government has initiated an investigation into a disturbing viral video featuring 10 Nigerian teenagers rescued from neighboring Ghana, where they were exploited in the sex trade.