Ekiti Govt launches campaign for female students to access sanitary towels

The Ekiti Government has launched a”Pad Bank”, an initiative that would ensure that female students have access to reusable sanitary protection monthly.

Gov. Kayode Fayemi,  launched the initiative tagged: ”keep Girls in School Pad Bank ” in commemoration of the World Menstrual Hygiene Day, in Ado-Ekiti.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, Fayemi said that the state government  will ensure budgetary provisions for sanitary pads in the state.

Also speaking at the launch, the Wife of the Governor, Bisi, said arrangements have been concluded to distribute  3,000 reusable sanitary pads to female students across the state yearly.

“We will bring the producer of these sanitary towels to Ekiti State to train people on the production of reusable pads in every Local Government Area,” she said.

The governor’s wife reiterated her call on the need to remove tax on menstrual hygiene products, stressing that they should be heavily subsidised to make it affordable.

She maintained that lack of appropriate facilities, such as gender segregated toilets, adequate water supply in schools, absence of sanitary menstrual materials, could prevent girls from safe hygiene management.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Mariam Ogunlade, commended the wife of the governor for giving hope  to the Girl-child, who is unable to afford sanitary materials.

She encouraged the beneficiaries to be good ambassadors of spreading the word about menstrual hygiene, stressing that they should make good use of the pads and not to sell them.

Also, the Commissioner for Education, Dr Bimpe Aderiye, lauded the governor’s wife on her contribution to girl -child education in the state.

She said that a World Bank assisted programme known as Adolescent Girls Initiative and Learning Empowerment (AGILE), has been facilitated to ensure that female students stay in school.

Ms Bose Adegbite, who spoke on behalf of beneficiaries, appreciated the initiative by the state government and promised that they would be good ambassadors of the state.