By Prisca Nguzo
Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Prof. Nnenna Otti has reassured the commitment of the university under her leadership to achieving zero tolerance to sexual harassment and gender based violence in the school.
Otti stated this when she received in audience member of Alliances for Africa, AfA, a non-governmental feminist organization who were on advocacy visit to the institution to deepen awareness on sexual harassment prevalence as well as proffer viable prevention strategies to the menace.
FUTO VC said that aside several steps initiated and implemented by the school towards addressing the menace in institution, the University is poised cum ready to partnering with all effort aimed at achieving zero cases of sexual harassment in the school.
She appreciated the feminist NGO for their commitment and partnership with the institution, stressing ending sexual harassment cases in the school would enhance general safety of members of the university community and also boost academic excellence.
Earlier in her speech, the leader of the AFA delegation on the visit, Emmanuella Osuji Esq. stressed that the visit was part of the commitment of the organisation in combating sexual harassment prevalence in all Nigerian Universities; with FUTO selected as one of the 12 universities for the first batch of the project.
She solicited continued collaboration with FUTO management on the project, adding that the AFA would continue to work with the university in strengthening mechanism for safe environment for academic activities across all universities and schools in the country.
Osuji said, "sexual harassment in Nigerian tertiary institutions remains underreported, largely due to weak reporting systems and a culture of impunity. This advocacy visit seeks to engage Vice-Chancellors directly, urging institutional leadership to take stronger action through the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
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"The goal is to secure clear commitments toward implementing effective reporting mechanisms, enforcing policies, and fostering a culture of accountability. By influencing top-level decision-makers, the visit aims to catalyze systemic change and ensure safer, more inclusive learning environments across the 12 project-implementing universities."
Major highlight of the visit was the presentation of the MoUs draft to the FUTO VC for onward review and subsequent signing between the organisation and the University.
The visit had in attendance Ms. Blessing Duru, AFA Programme Director, Ms. Doris Ekechukwu, AFA Communication Assistant, other FUTO top management team and staff of Centre for Gender Studies, FUTO led by the director, Prof. Edna Matthews Njoku.
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