A Non Governmental Organization, NGO, Restanchor Total Child Parenting Foundation has sought for the implementation of the Child’s Right Law on Protection against exploitation and inhuman treatment.
These include fight against forceful feeding of babies which has led to death of many kids, Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), child labour, abuse and torture, sexual exploitation, sale, abduction and drug abuse.
The president and founder of the NGO, Pastor Leye Adefioye made this known in a press statement he personally signed and issued to newsmen in Ibadan at the weekend.
According to him, child empowerment is based on right child custody and child rearing by parents and government intervention.
While citing example, he said pregnant women and children deserve to enjoy free education that is qualitative and free health care service delivery; child rearing and nature nurturing by parents, schools and religious bodies if effective will build a good foundation for the youth stage development.
“The present day environment is not devoid of social problems that range from stealing, sexual promiscuity, insubordination, social maladjustment, political thuggery, under utilization of natural resources, vandalism of different sorts – oil and gas pipeline and Political crises, kidnapping as emergent form of business (militant of South-South, Fulani herdsmen invasion), religious bigotry and chauvinism as in Boko Haram incidence.
“Poverty and kleptocracy keep increasing and there is urgent call for the reduction or total eradication.
Adefioye disclosed that the UNICEF remarked that 1041 schools were closed due to Boko Haram in the North East and North Central Nigeria, Northern Cameroon, different regions of Niger Republic and Chad for fear of attacks or unrest affecting nearly 445,000 children.
He lamented that the phenomenal Out of School syndrome 2010 (10.5m), 2016 (12.5m), 2018 (13.9m) is worrisome to Nigerians.
He, however, called on religious leaders to use their offices to positively implore their members to effect attitudinal change, structural and cultural process whereby young people gain the ability, authority and agency to make decisions and implement change in their own lives and the lives of other people.
While congratulating children all over the globe and in particular, Nigerian children, Adefioye appealed to government and other child focused stakeholders that “it is better to Build a Child than to Repair an Adult.”
He called on government to immediately reduce cost of school fees in state-owned higher institutions, give scholarships to students on merit and revive bursary payments to students.
“Encourage ethics and student discipline in primary and secondary schools. Increase education sector funding to meet the minimum 26% budgetary allocation recommended by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Packaged by Ojo Peter
