The ministry of gender and social development in Yei River State says it will enforce a law that prohibits early marriage amidst rising cases of early marriage among school going girls in the state.

Gender and human rights defenders have raised concerns over the rate of school drop outs due to early marriages in the state.

Victoria Nasirah Augustine, the director general in the ministry of gender and social development told Radio Tamazuj that the parliament has passed a law, adding that law enforcement agencies have been instructed to enforce the law.

“The law is already in place. If any parent forces a teenage girl into early marriage he or she will be in trouble with this law. We will use all legal measures to bring the perpetrators to book of law because this law prevents underage girls from being forced into early marriage” she said.

"We also need to sound this very clearly all girls must be sent to school because we want to see the future of these young girls to participate in the leadership and development of this country and all of us should join hands in supporting girl child education,” she urged.

For his part Tabani Moses a father of eight children blamed the government for failing to create a conducive learning environment and policies that encourage all children to go to school.

“We have no problems in supporting our girls in schools, we all know the importance of educating children but my biggest worry is that the current economic and political situation should be blamed for the cause of early marriages, some parents need money for survival,” he said.

A former student identified only as Winnie who dropped out of school at the age of 15 said the laws should be enforced to protect young girls.

“My message to the parents is that support girl child education and my second message to the government is that please put in place strong laws that prohibits early marriage and sponsor and support all school going girls in their education,” she appealed.