BENUE STATE OVC COMMITTEE MEETS, STRATEGISE ON CHILD PROTECTION.
Erdoo Due
Benue state ministry of women affairs and social development in collaboration with FASTER PROJECT held a one-day meeting on the 4th day of March 2021 in order to strategize and improve activism for child protection within the state. In attendance were various agencies and ministries, security operatives, CSOs as well as religious bodies.
In his opening remark, the Commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development represented by the permanent secretary Joseph Isah appreciated all participants acknowledging the relevance of the meeting to the society especially Benue state. “Child protection is the right of the state so, in order to enhance child protection within the state the work has been shared among various ministries who are allowed to hire experts so, I encourage us all to do our best.”
Director child development, Mrs Paulyn Chenge stated clearly the objective of the meeting she said, “the objective of this meeting is to bring different groups together towards finding a way forward for OVC response in the state.”
For National population commission, Christopher Nege said “registration of child birth and children have commenced within the state with Agatu and Apa in the frontline recording 13,244 and 10,450 figures respectively while other local governments are yet to commence registration.”
For Tersoo Akor of the Ministry of Agriculture, collaboration is required of the CSOs as majority of the ministry’s work revolves around subsidization of fertilizers and some other farm related projects however, this is the economy power of the vulnerable children as such, a holistic data of the various local governments is required to incorporate their full participation in Agricultural programs through CSOs and other care givers.
Ministry of Women Affairs on their part reported a lot of activism towards the OVC project including reuniting 4 trafficked children to their parents, harnessing 5 abused children off violence, training of 70 social welfare staff, caring for HIV positive persons including one staff of the ministry through APIN, rehabilitation of 22 children through the orphanage amid others.
NAPTIP represented by Ikyor Esther said, “We as a body are trying our very best in enforcing child protection. Since the last quarter, we have rescued 37 victims 20 male and 17 females but I must say, the condition of Benue is becoming more alarming by the day. Just recently,7 girls were abducted from the Daudu camp for prostitution by a resident of Taraba but in collaboration with civil defense they have been rescued. About sale of infants, we discovered that, a resident of North bank responsible for housing pregnant women and selling of infants for a token of 200,000 to 300,000 naira has been arrested and the women rescued as well as 20 children abducted into child labour. Currently, we have 5 of such cases in court while others are in our custody but I appeal for more sensitization to the vulnerable groups” she concluded.
According to Mrs Ann Ameh of the Nigerian Police, 34 cases including rape, trafficking, Obseen(rape video scandal) as well as abduction have been reviewed and victims reconciled with families. “The most recent case is that of 12 children who were trafficked to Gombe 3 who were suspected to be from Benue have been rescued through parental DNA confirmation and reconciled to their families appropriately” she further said there has been a merger of the police and NAPTIP to enhance child protection.
CAN on their own part has mandated rehabilitation of 76 children in Mkar orphanage while supplying relief materials to support the home. So far,350 mattresses have been distributed to 3 IDP camps as well as some school packs as narrated by Gire Abigail.
Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria(FOMWAN) expressed their concern about the children education stating that, in order to reduce children on the streets, the organization has embarked on provision of educational support to children most especially the girl child.
Bernard Ogbole said, “sensitization is key to preventing human rights abuse we pledge OVC of human rights commission’s continuous support however I appeal to security agencies to help contain the situation instead of bartering people which is still part of human rights violation.”
On his part Dr. Terhemba Lan who is the project coordinator said, “FASTER Project has disseminated about 15,000 self-testing kits within the state in collaboration with some CSOs including APIN. So far, 105 positive children aged 2-18 years have been recorded with some registered under the OVC programme. Faster project has also embarked on a training of religious bodies to help sensitize members so as to help reduce stigmatization, early child diagnosis has also been adopted however, the challenge here is limited availability of test centres viral load testing will soon be adopted.”
APIN represented by Loveth Ibeabuchi presented a report of the OVC programme stating that,11000 children of 0-17years who have tested positive to HIV are on treatment, 8729 are enrolled on OVC programme where 37 persons died. 97% of the caregivers for these children are suppressed and do not just give HIV care but also Moral, Economic and material support to the children she emphasized.
Other CSOs and Ministries have also contributed immensely to the OVC programme as acknowledged by Isah in his closing remarks.
