Catholic Bishops kick against Imo abortion law

Aswomen group supports Law
OWERRI—Catholic Bishops in Imo State have called on Governor
Rochas Okorochaand members of the State House of Assembly to
remove all anti-life sections in state’sAbortion Law number 12of
2012, which harbour liberalist-abortion provisions.
However, as the Catholic bishops kick against the law, some pro-
abortion women and groups described those opposing the law as
“ignorant and wicked people.”
Risingfrom a meeting in Owerri, the Bishops’ call was contained in a
communique signed by the Archbishop of Owerri and the Bishop of
Orlu, Dr. Anthony J. V. Obinna and Dr. Augustine Ukwuoma
respectively as the women took their protest to the State House of
Assembly.
The group, known asAdvocacy Coalition on Violence Against Women,
ACOVAW, not only gave their support to the law but also described it
as“a wonderful and proactive piece of legislation that should be
applauded rather than subjected to all sortsof misinterpretations and
misrepresentations.”
The group’sleaders included President of International Federation of
Women Lawyers, FIDA, Hauwa Evelin Shekarau and Chairperson,
National Council of Women Societies, NCWS, Mrs. Lois Osueke.
The bishops argued that anylaw which failed to respect the right to
life and human dignity was automatically null and void as they
contradicted natural and divine laws.
“A law to prohibitviolence against women, legitimate as it is in
principle must, with all the more reason, prohibit violence against
helplessunborn children from conception to natural death without
exception. Thou shall not kill,” the Bishopsstated.
It wasalso the considered opinion of the bishops that “we must not
enthrone the culture of death through the legalization of abortion,
with it’sconsequent sexual permissiveness of all, which will ravage
our society morally and spiritually as it hasdone in Europe, America
and elsewhere.”
The bishops argued that the right to life and human dignity belonged
to human nature and was inherent in every person by the creative act
of God.
“These rights do not depend on individuals, parents, church, society or
state. They are guaranteed by natural laws, divine commandments
and affirmed in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,”the
bishops said.
They promised to continue working with God’s faithful people in Imo
State, for the protection of the fundamental rights of all, including
those of women and the unborn child.
“We will continue to engage Imo State government and Imo State
House of Assembly on waysand means to provide for laws that will
strengthen the family and protectthe human rightsof all Imo citizens,”
the Bishops stated.