Lagos to intensify campaign against child abuse

The Lagos State Government says the Law against child abuse is still in force in the state.

the state Deputy Governor, ADEJOKE ORELOPE-ADEFULIRE, told a delegation of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria in her office today that that the government would intensity its enforcement of the law in order to arrest those in the habit of abusing the right of a child.

She said the state government frowns at having minors and under-age children as domestic staff and servants, saying that it is disheartening that the women, who ordinarily should be the care-givers are the major culprits.

Mrs Adefulire said the ‘yellow and red-card’ enforcement policy of the government will be intensified, while advising the women to desist from such acts, adding ‘it is not only against the law but also morally wrong’.  She advised the women to encourage their domestic staff to take some formal education, since education is free in the State, or acquire a skill at any of the 17 skill acquisition centers in the state.

The Deputy Governor also advised the women doctors to encourage other women to pay more attention to their health especially during pregnancy as such measures will help in the fight against maternal and infant mortality.

Mrs Adefulire disclosed that four out of the eight mother and child centers the government is putting up have been commissioned while the remaining four are at various stages of completion.

She said each of the centers is completed with 110 bed spaces and modern health facilities for the care of women and children.

The Deputy Governor challenged members of the Association to continue to support the government in all its campaign towards the well-being of the women and children.

While acknowledging past collaboration with the Association, Mrs Adefulire said the women doctors come in contact with other women every day, hence they are in a prime position to educate them on health issues, maternal health and child abuse.

The President of the Association, Dr. Dabiri in her welcome address thanked the Deputy Governor for all the support she has given to the Association and for the roles she has played in the past to better the lots of the women adding that her association is more than willing to support the government in all its activities especially as it concerns women and children’s health.

The president also used the opportunity of the visit to intimate the Deputy Governor of the 34th Anniversary celebration of the Lagos branch of the Association, which is coming up later in the month.