Ondo Govt condemns growing cases of baby abandonment

By Ismail Azeez

The Ondo State Government has decried the increasing incidents of baby abandonment following the rescue of a newborn girl from a forest in the Oboto Community, Ondo East Local Government Area, where she was allegedly dumped.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Seun Bosede Osamaye, stated that hunters discovered the baby around midnight and alerted rescue officials, who rushed the child to a health facility for treatment.

Osamaye added that the ministry’s Child Department was immediately informed after the baby received medical attention at a government hospital.

She described the abandonment of babies as cruel and dangerous, warning that such acts expose innocent children to death, trauma, and other severe risks.

She also urged women and young girls to embrace family planning and responsible parenting to reduce unwanted pregnancies and child neglect across the state.

The Commissioner called on parents facing financial or emotional challenges to seek help from government-approved homes and non-governmental organizations instead of abandoning children in unsafe places.

She also commended the hunters and health officials involved in the rescue, while assuring residents that the administration of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa would continue to provide protection and support for vulnerable children in the state.

“We keep warning our girls and women to put an end to unwanted pregnancies. If you are sexually active and not ready to care for a child, go for family planning because it is free in our hospitals,” she said.