Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare has said that Governor Charles Soludo’s administration will not tolerate promoters of child labour.
Anambra Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obianbo said in an interview in Awka on Tuesday, that the Ministry has embarked on advocacy visits to various public places in the state to sensitise Anambra residents against Child Labour.
“We will not relent in the fight against child labour. We will employ every useful tool to educate the public on its dangers and why it should not be practised.
“Children are rare gifts from God. They deserve to be well nurtured, groomed and brought up to be respectable individuals built with great potentials.
“Parents and guardians should see themselves as caretakers of these rare gifts and chart a Progressive way for the children to build a healthy society,” Obinabo said.
Obinabo said that the Ministry used the social process of sensitisation which took the team on a road walk through flash points in the capital city.
She said the team engaged in a musical entertainment outing to easily attract attention of the public around Arroma Junction, Eke Awka, Roundabout, and Unizik junction, among other flash points.
“We designed fliers with quality messages in them and distributed them to the people along the road, in the markets, and business places just to create awareness on the dangers of child labour in the society.
“The road walk achieved a lot as our reach out was impressive,” she said.
Obinabo said that the goal of the exercise was to protect the future of Anambra children from abuse or violence of any degree.
She disclosed that the Governor is determined to eradicate child labour and all forms of child abuse in the state with human and other resources available.
Obinabo said that a greater number of abused children suffer complex problems and never contribute positively to the development of the society.
The Commissioner promised that the Ministry will continue the fight against child labour by clamping down on people who front children for begging.
She said that the sensitisation will not stop till parents and guardians get it clear that a child is supposed to be treasured, cared for and educated.
Obinabo said that the danger of child labour is unspeakable, as it stunts the physical and mental development of a child and kills the self worth of the victim.
The Commissioner said that child labour also affects children socially, morally and equally exposes them to child abuse such as prostitution, rape, battering, and starvation among other societal ills.
Obinabo urged the public to take in the lessons of the exercise and join forces with government to ensure eradication of child labour in the state.
She assured that the government will live up to its responsibility to draw attention of the people on need to stop child labour in the society.
“We are confident that the exercise will yield positive results and the goal will be well achieved as the exercise will immensely help the society a great deal.
“The sensitisation team will continue till all nooks and crannies of the state are covered and people begin to understand the language of ‘no to child labour,” she said