Group partners Imo govt against child trafficking

An Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON) has expressed its resolution to collaborate with the Imo State Government against child trafficking and baby factory business being perpetrated by some unpatriotic and misguided criminal elements in the country.

Gabriel Oyediji, the national president of the Association, said the non-governmental organisation (NGO), had already established its presence in the six geo-political zones of the country and fashioned ethnic code of conduct for guidance of practices to add steam to the elimination of the obnoxious illegal vocation.

Oyediji, who is also the Founder/CEO, “Compassionate Orphanage as well as coordinator, Alimosho Local Government Area, Child Protection Network (CPN) stated this when the Executive of the ASOHON visited Nkechinyere Ugwu, the Imo State Commissioner for “Women Affairs and Vulnerable Group.

During their visit to the Commissioner in Owerri, the visiting team being led by its National President said that the South East ASOHON Summit 2024 would soon take place in Owerri with the theme, “Transitional Support for institutional Children and Partnership”.

He said that the summit was the 7th Edition in the South East packaged for a much more rigorous public awareness on the dangers inherent in child trafficking and other related offences against the child rights and to explore avenues for joint collaboration with the Imo State government to tackle the illict act.

The ASOHON President, who equally visited Aboki Danjuma, Commissioner of Police in the State and Reginald Nwakom, the Head of the Owerri Municipal Land (Onye Isi Ala Owerri), commended Governor Hope Uzodinma for the massive transformation of the State.

They however pleaded with the Commissioner to assist ASOHON to obtain the best practices humanly possible, adding that ASOHON was keen and desirous to bfamiliarised with the 650 registered orphanage homes across the country.

Ugwu, responding, hailed the Association for their patriotic mission, stressing the distinction between child trafficking and child adoption.

She said that legally and officially approved orphanage homes are all doing well in the State.

She also said that the State Government had since installed necessary mechanism to checkmate illegal selling and buying of babies and assured the Asociation of maximum cooperation and support in the implementation of her programmes.