Honourable Princess Pat Adankele Ajudua PhD assumed office as Delta State’s Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, she walked into a ministry at the intersection of some of society’s most urgent challenges: gender-based violence, child rights violations, neglect of persons with disabilities, and care for the elderly. Two years on, she is leaving a trail of legislative enforcement, social protection systems, and rescue interventions that speak more of policy impact than ceremonial promises.
Turning Laws into Action
While many states still grapple with implementing federal laws on human rights, Delta State, under her watch, has gazetted and operationalised key legislation:
- The Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law.
- The Child Rights Law.
- The Prohibition of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Law.
“These laws are not just on paper they are functional,” Ajudua says firmly. “The governor has assented to them, and we are already operating them across the state.”
Building a Response Network for Gender-Based Violence
At the heart of her tenure is a robust, multi-agency response system for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Delta State now runs three fully equipped Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in Asaba, Warri and Ughelli.
These centres bring together police officers, medical doctors, social workers, psychologists, and legal practitioners under one roof to provide survivors with immediate, coordinated support. Emergency hotlines and whistleblower channels are active, ensuring that cases are reported and acted upon swiftly.
“Some of the most heartbreaking cases involve fathers abusing all their young daughters,” she recalls. “In such cases, we prosecute the offenders and secure safe custody for the children until they can be placed with capable relatives or care homes.”
Shelter and Rescue Operations
The Ministry’s intervention extends beyond abuse cases to include women and children in crisis. Teenage mothers abandoned by their families, children without parental care, and widows facing harmful traditional practices find refuge under state protection.
For adoptable children, legal adoption is processed free of charge. Those who cannot be adopted remain in well-managed orphanages. Elderly persons also have access to upgraded care homes, and Delta’s Leprosy Colony now boasts modern facilities, a testament to the Commissioner’s commitment to social inclusion.
Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities
The Prohibition of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities Law is not only active. it is being enforced. Persons with disabilities in Delta State now benefit from training programmes, business start-up support, and monitoring to ensure sustainable livelihoods.
“We are intentional about follow-up,” Ajudua explains. “We don’t just provide funds; we ensure they are using them for the intended purpose.”
Strengthening State-Level Institutional Frameworks
Her tenure has been marked by an insistence on Delta State owning its development agenda rather than merely aligning with federal directives. By localising and domesticating national policies, she has ensured that the state’s legal and institutional responses are context-specific and enforceable.
Planned Legacy Projects
Looking ahead, the Commissioner’s flagship legacy project is the reconstruction and modernisation of the Women Development Centre into a multi-purpose hub for training, legal aid, and emergency shelter. She also plans to expand adult education for women who dropped out of school, ensuring they have the literacy skills needed to access justice, finance, and employment.
A Call for Collective Responsibility
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, her message is clear: “Every woman must be her sister’s keeper. Speak out when you see abuse. Silence only enables perpetrators.”
In a policy space where rhetoric often overshadows measurable results, Honourable Evangelist Princess Pat Ajudua has anchored her work on tangible interventions: stronger laws, faster response systems, safe shelters, and inclusive care facilities.
In Delta State, social protection is no longer an abstract ideal it is a network of laws, services, and enforcement mechanisms actively shaping lives. And at the center of it all is a commissioner determined to confront the state’s toughest social issues head-on.
