Enugu moves to curb baby factories
Leave a Comment
The Enugu State Government has moved to check the
proliferation of baby factories in the state by setting up a
committee on child adoption.
Over the years, several baby factories, where young mothers
give birth and, most often, sell their babies, had been discovered
in the state as well as in other parts of the South-East.
The Committee on Child Adoption, which is to address all
prevalent illegalities in child fostering and adoption, is headed by
the Archbishop of the Enugu Anglican Province and Bishop of
Enugu, Most Reverend Emmanuel Chukwuma.
Inaugurating the committee at the Enugu Government House,
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi warned that his administration would
not fold its arms and watch child adoption laws abused in the
state.
Ugwuanyi expressed regrets that despite the existing laws and
government’s efforts at curbing the phenomenon, cases of
illegal child adoption and fostering have continued to rise.
He described the situation, where children were abandoned, or
sold like commodities, as unacceptable.
According to him, the establishment of illegal child adoption
facilities was a major cause for concern.
Ugwuanyi admitted that prevailing child adoption practices were
not in line with constitutional provisions.
“While we acknowledge the right and the necessity for couples
to adopt motherless children and orphans, we believe that there
is the need for strict compliance with due process and the
provisions of relevant laws to guarantee the security and
wellbeing of the affected children.”
He instructed the committee to work towards ensuring that
government sets up a proper structure to facilitate the
implementation of the Child Rights Act and also improve the
quality of Child Justice Administration in the state.
The committee was also directed to ensure that the workers of
the Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development, who are
involved in child adoption, were given adequate training to
enable them track cases of child abandonment, selling,
trafficking, as well as sexual abuse.
Copyright PUNCH. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital
content on this website, may not be reproduced, published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior
express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: editor@punchng.com
The Enugu State Government has moved to check the
proliferation of baby factories in the state by setting up a
committee on child adoption.
Over the years, several baby factories, where young mothers
give birth and, most often, sell their babies, had been discovered
in the state as well as in other parts of the South-East.
The Committee on Child Adoption, which is to address all
prevalent illegalities in child fostering and adoption, is headed by
the Archbishop of the Enugu Anglican Province and Bishop of
Enugu, Most Reverend Emmanuel Chukwuma.
Inaugurating the committee at the Enugu Government House,
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi warned that his administration would
not fold its arms and watch child adoption laws abused in the
state.
Ugwuanyi expressed regrets that despite the existing laws and
government’s efforts at curbing the phenomenon, cases of
illegal child adoption and fostering have continued to rise.
He described the situation, where children were abandoned, or
sold like commodities, as unacceptable.
According to him, the establishment of illegal child adoption
facilities was a major cause for concern.
Ugwuanyi admitted that prevailing child adoption practices were
not in line with constitutional provisions.
“While we acknowledge the right and the necessity for couples
to adopt motherless children and orphans, we believe that there
is the need for strict compliance with due process and the
provisions of relevant laws to guarantee the security and
wellbeing of the affected children.”
He instructed the committee to work towards ensuring that
government sets up a proper structure to facilitate the
implementation of the Child Rights Act and also improve the
quality of Child Justice Administration in the state.
The committee was also directed to ensure that the workers of
the Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development, who are
involved in child adoption, were given adequate training to
enable them track cases of child abandonment, selling,
trafficking, as well as sexual abuse.
Copyright PUNCH. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital
content on this website, may not be reproduced, published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior
express written permission from PUNCH.
Contact: editor@punchng.com
Comments
Post a Comment
Comments......