Ukorebi Esien | November 28, 2025
IKANG - As the world observes the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the Community Relations Officer (CRO) for Bakassi Local Government Area, Nkese Ita, has raised serious concerns over how years of underdevelopment continue to expose women and young girls in Bakassi to different forms of abuse.
Speaking during the global campaign, Nkese said many of the GBV cases recorded in Bakassi are directly linked to the harsh conditions faced by families living in the creeks and hard-to-reach communities of the LGA. She explained that lack of access to education, healthcare, livelihood opportunities, and basic protection systems has created an environment where young girls are unsafe and vulnerable.
According to her, underdevelopment has led to child motherhood, abandonment, out-of-school girls, multiple sexual assaults, exploitation, and poor reporting of cases, especially in riverine settlements where support services rarely reach.
Nkese said: "Bakassi is rich in natural and human resources, but underdevelopment has made our women and girls suffer more than they should. Many of the abuses happening in the creeks are tied to poverty, displacement, and lack of access to essential services. We cannot continue like this."
She called on the Cross River State Government, humanitarian agencies, civil society organisations, women groups, youth leaders, and traditional institutions to intensify their efforts in the area. Nkese stressed that Bakassi needs targeted interventions that will reach the interior communities, not just the urban centres.
Nkese also expressed her readiness to partner with organisations willing to support women and girls in Bakassi. She said she is open to collaborations that will bring education, empowerment, protection, and awareness programmes to communities most affected by GBV.
"I am ready to work with any organisation that wants to help our girls. We need stronger support systems, safe spaces, and community sensitisation. This 16 Days of Activism should not end with awareness alone; it must lead to action," she added.
The CRO commended Governor Bassey Edet Otu for his ongoing efforts toward peace and development in the LGA but noted that more needs to be done to protect vulnerable groups living along the waterways.
Nkese further urged community leaders, parents, and youths to join hands in building a safer environment for women and girls, emphasising that lasting peace and development cannot be achieved without addressing gender-based violence.
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