Severe sanctions awaits anyone caught infringing on the rights of children in Ekiti State following the resolve of the state government to strictly implement the Child’s Rights law.
Speaking at a meeting of the State Child’s Rights Implementation committee in Ado-Ekiti, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Social
Development and Gender Empowerment, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi emphasised that the Fayemi led administration would not tolerate any form of child abuse.
Mrs. Richie-Adewusi stressed the resolve of the state government to protect every child from abuse ranging from battery, rape, child labour to human trafficking and other related matters.
She warned against the acts of engaging the services of under-age children as house-helps, noting that all children of school-age must be in school during the approved school hours of 8am to 2pm.
Mrs. Richie-Adewusi enjoined all stakeholders to contribute their quota to efforts to rid the society of the menace of child-abuse by reporting such cases in their communities.
In her remarks, an officer of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Mrs. Adefolaju Faramade noted that it had become imperative to curb the unwholesome practice of some parents and guardians that engage their children and wards in hawking particularly on major market days.
Narrating her experience concerning children hawking during school hours at Bisi Egbeyemi market Mrs. Faramade suggested a regular raid of the markets to checkmate the activities of culprits.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Kola Ajumobi, who was represented at the forum by one of the top officials in the Ministry, Tope Babalola said that a massive sensitization of the public should be incorporated in the work-plan of his Ministry, stressing that the gesture would boost public awareness and help arrest the ugly trend.
Last modified: July 17, 2013
