The Anambra State Children’s Parliament has called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to consider the establishment of separate correctional centres for children in conflict with the law across the state.
The Speaker of the Parliament, Miss Victory Ekwunife, made the call on Monday during the 2024 Children’s Day Celebration in the state held at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.
The year’s celebration has as its theme, ‘Enhancing the total well-being of the Nigerian Child through quality education and skill development’
Speaking at the event, Miss Ekwunife cited Section 178 of the Child Rights, which makes it the responsibility of the state to provide correctional centres where children in conflict with the law will stay and go through rehabilitation before being integrated back into society.
According to her, the current practice in the state, where children are sent to adult centres is wrong, as the children eventually come out of the centres as hardened criminals.
While also calling for the establishment of shelter homes for children in abusive homes in line with Article 24 of the Child Rights Law, Ekwunife, said it helps the children stay away from such toxic home environments.
“Last month, there was a case of a man who was raping her three daughters.
“After the whole thing was settled, the girls were still taken back to the same house to still face the same man, because there was no shelter home in the state.
“So, we appeal that this shelter be provided so that we would stop endangering the lives of the girl child.
“Also, there is the need for the establishment of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition, VAPP Commission to be handling issues of violence against persons.
“We appreciate all the governor is doing for the children of the state, but we are asking for more.
“We are seeing the free education he has granted for basic education level and we appeal that it be extended to the senior secondary students, while enforcement of the policy should be made more efficient,” she appealed.
In his speech, Governor Soludo said his government has taken numerous initiatives, aimed at providing the state a brighter future, through its investments in the development of the Anambra child.
According to him, some of these initiatives include the free education policy, the State Health Insurance, the ASHIA initiative, and the massive transformation of health facilities in the state among others.
Stressing that his government has underscored the place of children in the growth and development of the state, the governor maintained that he would continue to make their needs a priority for his administration.
“I want to call on Anambra children to be proactive and hold their heads high in whatever they do because Anambra is an ‘A’ state.
“There is also the need for parents to guide their children in the way of positivity as well as avoid influences that can lead them to crime and other vices. That’s a sure way to guarantee a better future for us all,” the governor maintained.
Earlier in her remarks, the State Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo said the establishment of a designated court for Children, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, has greatly reduced the incidences of gender-based violence across the state.
The celebration featured a march past by schools in the state, as well as calisthenics and cultural performances, to the delight of the children, who turned out en masse for the August event.
