Samuel Kallon 
By Ragan M Conteh
Members of Parliament from both sides of the aisle warn girls to stay off from men.
“We want girls to be girls and boys to be boys. Child marriage has become a thorny issue for the future of the country’, MPs stated.
The Champions and mover of the bill, Hon. Mariama Zombo said the purpose of the bill is to prohibit child marriages and prohibit child cohabitation and compensate the victims of child marriage.
She said the prevalence of child marriage is 39% before 18 years.
She stated that the country is the highest prevalence of child marriage global.
She said the bill will cement the gains already actualized by the Hands off Our Girls campaign.
She said hands off our girls’ campaign contributed to the transformation of the upcoming law.
Hon. Zombo said despite the progress of the hands off our girl, child marriage records setbacks to the campaign.
She revealed that the bill touches on five points, adding that the child marriage act will prohibit the country consent of parent for the under 18 child to marriage.
Hon. Zombo pointed out that child marriage has far-reaching impact on girls in Sierra Leone, adding that children marriage has consequences for education and sometimes causes deaths to young girls.
She maintained that trauma and mental unstable are issues affecting pregnant young girls.
The Chairpersons of the Gender Committee, Hon. Catherine Tarawally expressed thanks and appreciation to Mariama Simbo for championing the prohibition of child marriage.
She said the bill is not for the SLPP or APC party but it is a bill to protect the today’s generation which can stand the test of time.
She said document is a law to save the children and to empower them.
The Chief Whip of the opposition who also doubles as Member of Parliament from Kambia District, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara buttressed on the importance of the Bill.
He narrated that one of his colleagues stocked up on the way when they were in school as he got married.
He said he is committed to taking the bill to his constituency for proper education.
