The Ona of Abaji and Chairman, FCT Traditional Ruling Council, Alhaji Adamu Yunusa, has appealed to the National Assembly to enact law for compulsory HIV test for intending couples in the country.

Yunusa made the appeal while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of a conference.

The conference was on harnessing Demographic Dividend (DD) for sustainable development in Nigeria, the role of Muslim religious leaders by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Abuja.

He explained that HIV was being spread through marriages in rural communities and cities hence the need to check it with such law in place.

The monarch said that when HIV test was made compulsory for any intending couple, it would drastically reduce the spread of the disease.

“I am appealing to the National Assembly to come up with law prevailing on anyone who intends to marry to go for HIV test to prevent the spread of this disease in the country.

“At community level, we have started it, if we are joining people together now as husband and wife in communities in my domain, we ask for result of HIV test to know the status of the couple concerned.

“When this is made compulsory all over the places through a law, it will help in no small measure in reducing or eradicating HIV/AIDS,” he said. (NAN)

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