From TCNEWS
The wife of the Governor of Abia State Mrs. Priscilla Otti, has said that her office is working diligently to revalidate all orphanages and charity homes so that those used as decoy for baby factories and child trafficking will be nipped in the bud.
The Governor’s wife stated this during a courtesy visit by the members of the Child Protection Network.
She promised to use her office to straighten the child rights legislative framework so as to make it more operational in the state.
She seized up the opportunity to reiterate the state Government’s commitment to partner with the state chapter of the Child Protection Network in the areas of child protection, rights of children, safety from abuse, violence, exploitation, and to review some of the legislative framework militating against the rights of children in the State.
Contributing, the Hon Commissioner for the Vulnerable Groups and Social Protection, Mrs Ngozi Blessing Felix , emphasized the state’s passion for protecting Children and its efforts in combating baby Factories, Child Trafficking as well as making sure they have access to Justice,protection of Children with support from stakeholders.
Earlier, the State Coordinator, Child Protection Network, Ambassador Onyinyechi Nwosu, explained that Child Protection Network, a brainchild of the UNICEF is established under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in Nigeria and a coalition of state and non-state actors dedicated to protecting the rights of children and ensuring their safety from abuse, violence and exploitation.
She stressed that CPN is dedicated to addressing child abuse, exploitation and neglect while advocating for systemic reforms to ensure children’s safety and well being.
She highlighted some of the challenges CPN encounters in Abia State to include: inadequate facilities, lack of funding, legislative gaps, mobility, lack of capacity among stakeholders, neglect, lack of office space, lack of sensitization among others.
Onyinyechi used the forum to appeal for assistance in the area of establishing adequate infrastructure, free medical services for survivors, strengthening legislative framework, budget inclusion, promotion of stakeholders engagement and to set up task force aimed at identifying traffickers and combating trafficking of children in the state.
In a vote of thanks, Secretary CPN Abia, Rev Ikpo Uduma appreciated the wife of the Governor for the warm reception accorded them.