Traditional rulers, education experts, students, lawmakers, and civil society organisations in Gombe State have raised alarm over the growing exploitation of school-aged girls forced into farm labour, locally known as “barema.” They warned that the practice is denying girls access to education and exposing them to serious health and security risks.
Gatekeepers News reports that investigations revealed that during the rainy season, many girls roam the streets in search of farm work for little pay, often abandoning school in the process.
The concerns were expressed at a summit organised by the Adda Girl Education Foundation, in partnership with the Development Exchange Centre (DEC), with funding support from Bread for the World, Germany.
Programme Coordinator of the foundation, Abubakar Abdullahi Hussein, said the event was part of the Girls Lead Advocacy Project (GLAP), designed to reduce the prevalence of barema across the state.
He explained that the summit would train girls from selected communities — including Malam Jamo and Gama Dadi in Akko Local Council — on gender-based violence, communication, and advocacy skills.
According to him, the initiative would also provide mentoring opportunities for girls involved in farm labour to share their experiences and needs.
Abdullahi urged parents to change their mindset and place priority on educating the girl-child.
“Barema exposes girls to snake bites, scorpion stings, exhaustion and even drug abuse,” he said, adding that the practice also leaves them vulnerable to sexual assault by co-workers, farm owners and youths in neighbouring communities.
He further called on the government to sanction parents who deny their daughters access to education.
Director of Child Development at the Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Ladi Lawan, described barema as a form of gender-based violence with far-reaching consequences for girls’ education and safety.
Chairman of the Gombe State House of Assembly Committee on Women Affairs and Special Duties, Mr Gabriel Galadima, said the legislature had enacted laws — including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law and the Child Rights Act — which were assented to by the governor to protect children from abuse and exploitation.
However, Chairman of the Gombe State Network of Civil Society Organisations (GONNET), Mr Ibrahim Yusuf, lamented the poor enforcement of these laws.
“Weak oversight has hindered full implementation, despite the governor’s assent,” he said.
Speaking at the event, a student of Government Comprehensive Day Secondary School, Akko, Aisha Bello Adamu, said the summit would empower girls to sensitise their peers about the dangers of barema.
She disclosed that girls engaged in the labour earn between ₦1,500 and ₦2,000 for working from morning until night on farms.
“This practice is a serious threat to our future,” she said.
