Prohibitive harmful practices against widows in Benue State will soon be curtailed by the Benue Widows Commission Bill initiated by the government.
The Bill underway will protect widows against exploitative acts, punish offenders, and for other related purposes.
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to Governor Samuel Ortom, Terver Akase, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Markurdi the state capital, the PUNCH reports.
Terver said that the enactment of the law by the Ortom-led administration was premised on the diversity of cultural norms and practices of ethnic groups in the state, which have unfavourable effects on widows in the state following the death of their husbands.
“These include, but are not limited to, disinheritance from the assets of a deceased husband, banishment from a late husband’s home, being forced to marry a relation of the deceased husband, among others.
“Benue State Council viewed that in some cases, a widow is likened to a property of the deceased to be inherited by his relations.
“Most often such widows have children for the deceased and have the task of nurturing the children without any assistance from the relatives of the deceased. In some instances, some are denied their fundamental rights enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
“It is in face of such a helpless situation of widows that the Ortom administration has initiated the bill in order to assuage the position of widows as regards inheritance of their husbands’ assets and to protect and guarantee their fundamental rights as well as obviate the obnoxious cultural practices which deny them the right of inheriting their late husbands’ property, among others,” the statement said.
According to the statement, the Bill seeks to protect widows from both monogamous and polygamous marriages.
The statement noted that the proposed Bill would have the power and responsibility to support, protect and build the capacity of widows in the state, so that they could own their property and inherit the assets of their deceased husbands.
According to the statement, this would enable widows in the state to fend for themselves and for their children without harassment from any individual or group of persons.
The commission according Akase, would, among others, coordinate and monitor the implementation of widows’ programmes and activities.
He added that It would also initiate and support measures which shall enhance the welfare of widows and assist widows by providing support services.
The statement revealed that the commission would create awareness and sensitisation on the protection of widows’ rights under a subsisting Widow Protection Law in the state; support international efforts and advocacy to uphold and expand the rights of widows as enshrined in the international laws and conventions.
Akase said the commission would also make necessary recommendations to the Benue State government.
“There are also provisions in the Bill which annul repugnant cultural practices, create offences and prescribe punishments for infringement. Among the several sanctions stipulated in the Bill is that someone who subjects a widow to any harmful widowhood practice commits an offence and shall be liable on conviction to imprisonment or a heavy fine as contained in the law,” Akase said in the statement.