The Anambra State government has threatened to arrest and prosecute parents and guardians who attempt or immerse their children in hawking and begging.
Mrs Ify Obinabo, the State’s Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, disclosed this on Saturday, May 27, 2023, in the celebration of the International Day of Families in Awka, the Anambra state capital.
Obinabo stated that the procedure would ensure the survival, development and protection of all children in the state and serve as a deterrent to parents and guardians.
She said, “The rate of children hawking and begging on our streets, the rate of child sexual abuse, trafficking and maltreatment in the state, has become alarming.
“The use of children for domestic labour, negligence and maltreatment on the part of parents and guardians, contradicts the tenets of the Child Rights Act.” Added Obinabo.
“The ministry is ready to arrest and prosecute anyone – parents or guardians, who abuse the fundamental rights of children in the state. From next week, if we see any child hawking or begging on the street, that child will identify whoever engaged him or her, and we will arrest the person.”
Obinabo also assured everyone that the ministry will continue to enlighten parents to see the need for them to prioritise the education and proper upbringing of their children.
She said that Children need all the care, love and support they can get, not abuse and domestic labour.
The Anambra State government has announced it will arrest and prosecute parents and guardians who force children into hawking and begging. Mrs. Ify Obinabo, the State’s Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, revealed this during the International Day of Families celebration in Awka on May 27, 2023.
Obinabo emphasized that the government’s actions aim to ensure child protection, development, and to serve as a deterrent against child maltreatment. She highlighted the alarming rates of child labor, abuse, trafficking, and negligence, which are against the Child Rights Act. The ministry will identify and arrest those responsible for engaging children in these activities, starting from the following week.
Additionally, Obinabo assured that the ministry would continue to educate parents on the importance of prioritizing their children's education and proper upbringing, emphasizing that children require care, love, and support, not abuse or forced labor.
