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Plateau State Government on Monday threatened to go tough on those engaged in trafficking of children from the state.
The state government also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with an international organisation, Both Ends Believing as well as the Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria to create a digital identity for children in orphanages in the state.
PUNCH Online reports that the MOU was signed through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and is also aimed at supporting the process of finding permanent, safe and loving families for children in orphanages.
BEB is a global non-profit organisation that leverages a one-of-a-kind technology, Children First Software, to help children living in institutions unite with loving families.
Through Children First Software, known as CFS, government authorities move vulnerable children to their best future, giving them a chance to grow and flourish in a loving family.
The NGO also donated a laboratory which would also track down activities of Orphanages in the state.
Speaking at the occasion, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang said, “With the signing of this Memorandum of Understanding, we can track down and know the number of our children in the orphanages.”
Represented by the State Commissioner of Women Affairs, Caroline Dafur, he said the state would also track down operatives of fake orphanages operating in the state.
“We would prosecute anyone who is discovered to be involved in child trafficking in any of the state’s 17 Local Government Areas. A lot of our children are been taken out of the state, There is a cartel in Plateau State that links up with parents to traffic children to other parts of the country, which we would not tolerate. As a government, we would continue to educate our people on the need for them to train their children.”
Mutfwang also restated his administration’s commitment to prioritising the rights, welfare, education, security, and safety of children in the state.
“We are focused on protecting the rights of every child and making sure children of school age have access to high-quality basic education, which will inspire them to express their creativity in science, technology, art, and music, and make their voices heard in the society.”
“Children are an essential part of our society. Without them, there will not be a transition to a greater tomorrow. We are, therefore, committed to ensuring that their rights, which are fundamental to my administration, are protected. Our administration has made it a point of duty to commit to the education, welfare, safety and rights of our children. As a government, we are working so hard to tackle the challenges confronting vulnerable children in our state.
The governor hailed the NGO for partnering with the state, stressing that children in orphanages deserve care and proper and safe homes.
“We would continue to partner with agencies that would bring development to our people”, he said.
President of BEB, Mr Bruce Graham, commended the state government for its desire to better the lives of vulnerable children in the state.
“Our goal is for Children to be integrated into safe and loving families for children. We work to create digital profiles of children living in institutions around the world”, he said.
He commended the state Government for the partnership.
President of the Association of Orphanages and Homes operators in Nigeria Rev Dr Gabriel Oyedeji, (ASOHON) said the signing of the MOU by the Plateau State Government and Both Ends Believing (BEB) is the beginning of a new dawn, we can now comfortably track down our orphanages as well as unregistered, closed down and non-existing homes.
He lauded the efforts of his Vice President Mrs Sandra Chikan, for her efforts at making the signing of the MOU a reality.
Chikan, who also spoke at the occasion said children should not continue to remain in orphanages for a very long time. She advocated that it’s important for children to be adopted into safe and loving families.
