Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has warned that his administration would not fold its hands to watch rules and laws on child adoption abused in the state.
Governor Ugwuanyi regretted that despite enactment of relevant laws and other efforts of government and concerned agencies, the incidence of abuse of these facilities have continued to be on the increase.
The governor in a speech during the inauguration of the committee on Child Adoption in the state noted that not only have cases of abandonment of children and the establishment and the operation of illegal adoption continued to rise, it has also become evident that children are now being sold like commodities.
“While we acknowledge the right and the necessity for childless or benevolent couples to adopt motherless children and orphans, we believe that there is need for strict compliance with due process and the provisions of relevant laws to guarantee the security and wellbeing of the affected children,” said the governor.
According to the governor, it was to ensure that this principle is entrenched and also ensured that the worrisome anomalies of child selling and trafficking as well as other forms of child abuse are curbed in the state that government decided to set up a committee on Child Adoption.
He urged the committee to work towards ensuring that government sets up the proper structure to facilitate the implementation of the Child Rights Act in Enugu State and to improve the quality of Child Justice Administration in the state.
The committee was also given the mandate by the governor to see that staff of the Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development involved in adoption are given adequate training to track any incidences of child abuse and neglect as they relate to child abandonment, selling, trafficking and sexual abuse.
In a speech after the inauguration of the committee, the Chairman, Bishop Emmanuel Olisah Chukwuma commended Governor Ugwuanyi for taking a bold step in the right direction to forestall child abuse in the state.
The chairman who is also the Bishop of Anglican Communion noted that the work is tough, but added that the committee will not disappoint.
He observed that the state Ministry of Gender Affairs and Social Development need training, adding that most of them were involved and connive in committing these crimes.
“You have really given a very clear cut agenda particularly staff members of the ministry. They need training; most of them are involved and committing with these things.”
He assured the commitment of the committee to succeed, adding that the committee would among others find out who are the mothers of these children, where they are going after delivery among others.
Bishop Chukwuma thanked the governor for finding them worthy to be part to fight the illegal means of child adoption and fostering in the state, adding that the calibre of members selected to work in the committee would go a long way in achieving a positive result.
