The Plateau State Government has domesticate the Child Rights Law and vows to dealt decisively with parents and whosoever maltreat their children.
It would be recalled that the child rights Act was passed by Plateau State House of Assembly and signed into law on the 29th May, 2005 during the administration of former Governor Joshua Dariye administration in the state.
Plateau State Attorney General and commissioner for Justice Barr. Jonathan Mawuyau while unveiling and dissemination of the state’s Child’s Right Law as gazetted by his Ministry and printed by the UNICEF officials in Jos noted that some parents give birth to children without taken care of them.
The gazetted law prohibits child marriage, child betrothal, tattoo and skin marks on children, abduction, removal and transfer from lawful custody without the consent of his parents.
Mawuyau, said the domestication of the Act will bring to an end, cases of child maltreatment all over the state.
“Any parent who maltreats his or her child will be made to face the full wrath of the law, but the law is not meant to allow children rebel against their parents and guardians”, he said.
According to Mr. Mawuyau, the law will ensure harmonious relationship between parents and their kids and better welfare for children.
Our correspondent gather that despite the fact that Nigeria’s child rights law was enacted in 2005, a lot of child abuse related cases are still being reported in the state.
On his Part the Commissioner of Police, Adie Udie, charged the Nigerian govenment to wake up to the global responsibiities of protecting the rights of children.
The commisioner, who was represented by a deputy commissioner of police, Yahaya Abubakar, lamented that the issues of child right were not taken serious by stakeholders.
“The Nigeria government has failed the child. Each day, people talk about human rights, but the Child’s Right Act should have been domesticated in all the states of the federation and implemented fully, but just a few state governments have done that”, he said.
The Zonal Director, National human Rights commission, Mrs Grace Pam says it has not been easy prosecuting cases that involves children.
In an overview of the law, the Director, citizens Rights and Law Reform, Ministry of Justice Plateau State Mr Nankwat Shaseet noted that the Law is only applicable for those from eighteen years and above which is in their best interest.
He said the child rights implementation committees would be set up in the state and Local government levels to initiate actions that would ensure observance and popularization of the rights of children as provided for by the law.