We Won't Allow Baby-making Factories, Ogun Warns
The Ogun State government will continue to monitor activities of registered children's homes and orphanages in the state to ensure that they do not involve in unwholesome practices, such as of becoming baby-making factories as recently found in some parts of the country.
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Elizabeth Sonubi made this declaration in Abeokuta at an end of the year party organised by her ministry for children in all the 15 registered children homes and orphanages across the State.
According to Sonubi, the ministry has concluded arrangements to review operational policies of the homes and orphanages to reflect current trends, while a mechanism has equally been put in place to monitor them effectively.
'We have put in place an effective monitoring mechanism in the 20 local councils to checkmate any illegality from any Orphanage', she said. 'All orphanages need to register with the state government in order to practice in accordance with laid down rules and regulations. In essence, what we are after is that in Ogun State, we do not want any baby-making factory where babies are being sold or where you just keep children illegally for selfish gains'.
She revealed that following the monitoring mechanism put in place, the ministry was able to discover three unregistered orphanages in different parts of the State and handed their promoters over to law enforcement agencies for prosecution in accordance with the law.
The commissioner added that her ministry had been collaborating with relevant NGOs and the office of the wife of the governor to organise programmes to give a sense of belonging to vulnerable children and create an enabling environment for them to explore their God-given talents.
Such initiatives include empowerment programmes of different categories, the Child Protection Network (CPN) and the Children Parliament where members could give their opinions on varied issues concerning welfare of children in the state. She described the get-together party as yet another platform for operators and children to come together to interact and make merry in the spirit of the season.
In his remarks on behalf of other operators, Mr. Yemi Ogunmodede from Gideon Children Home and Orphanage, Asero, Abeokuta acknowledged that the state government has been unrelenting in caring for less-privileged children.
He thanked the state government for the opportunity extended to the children of the homes to socialize with their counterparts in related institutions owned by the government, and pledged that on their parts, the operators would abide by all the rules and regulations.
The commissioner and other officials of the ministry joined by the operators later took time to dance with the children after which consumables, toiletries and other gift items were given to them.