Governpr Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said that the bill currently
in the House of Assembly is not for the legalisation of abortion.
Okorocha said this when he reacted to reports that the state
government had legalised abortion in Owerri, the state capital, on
Friday.
He explained that the bill would eliminate violence in private and
public life, prohibit all forms of violence, including sexual,
psychological, domestic and harmful traditional practices.
The governor said the bill was also expected to provide maximum
protection and effective remedies for victims and punishments of
offenders.
Okorocha added that the bill would equally enable every woman to enjoy
reproductive rights as well as the right to medical abortion in cases
of sexual assault, rape, incest.
He also said the bill made provision for right to medical abortion
where the pregnancy endangers the life of or the physical, mental,
psychological or emotional health of the mother.
The Speaker of state House of Assembly, Hon. Benjamin Uwajumogu, had
also denied passing any law legalising abortion in the state.
Uwajumogu decried the misunderstanding of the bill, explaining that it
was for prevention of violence and protection of women’s rights.
He said the bill, which made provision for the termination of a foetus
in cases of incest or rape, did not legalise abortion.
The speaker said the House was set to make amendments to the bill to
avoid further misunderstandings.
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