Worried by frequent incidents of child abuse and violence against children, the Federal Government has warned perpetrators of these acts to desist from them or face the full weight of the law.
President GoodLuck Jonathan gave this warning on Monday in his address to mark this year's Children's Day Celebration which has as its Theme: "Our Children, Our future: Our Collective Responsibility."
The President's address which was read in Calabar to mark the celebration by the State Deputy Governor Mr. EfiokCobham, on behalf of the State Governor, Senator LiyelImoke, regretting that child trafficking, child battery, sale of babies and other forms of child abuse are becoming daily occurrences in Nigeria and therefore viewed by his administration with serious concern.
He called on States in the federation, yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act 2003 to do so without any further delay so as to ensure a holistic approach to the protection of children, particularly those at the grassroots level, while lauding those States that have done so for their bold initiatives and urged them to ensure effective enforcement of the Child Right Act.
He stated that the Child Rights Act provided for the survival, proper development, adequate protection and participation of Nigerian children towards nation building as well as for a system of child justice administration, care, supervision alongside the responsibilities of children to their parents, communities and the nation.
According to President Jonathan, apart from being leaders of tomorrow, "children are the greatest assets of any nation and the foundation on which the future of nations are built", hence the best investment any nation makes on children is worth making, adding that when children are protected, the future of a nation is also protected.
He hinted that his administration is gearing up efforts towards the early completion of the National Children's Resource Centre by 2014, adding that when completed, it would serve as Resource Centre for the welfare and development of the Nigerian children, provide ICT training as well as serve as secretariat for the Nigerian Children's Parliament.
He also disclosed that his administration had provided funds for the establishment of a National Model Child Development Centre in Abuja, aimed at providing vocational training for the Almajiri, street children and out-of-school children, in line with his administration's efforts in providing formal education to these categories of children.
President Jonathan enjoined the children to always make their views known to the Government for inclusion into various development programmes through Nigerian Children's Parliament, as it is a platform meant for them to express their opinions on issues affecting their well-being, adding that the parliament had been institutionalized at both States and Local Government levels for easy accessibility.
Dr. Jonathan appealed to parents and guardians to inculcate decent moral values in their children, provide adequate protection for them at all times, while calling on the children, in turn, to respect their parents and contribute to the well-being of their family and community.
He therefore called on governments at all levels, the private sector, civil society organizations and Development Partners to re-double their efforts towards providing interventions that would ensure adequate protection, survival and development of the children.
Earlier, in her goodwill message to the celebration, the Cross River State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. EdakIwuchukwu stated that the State's Child's Rights Law 2009 and subsequent establishment of a Family Court in the State would go a long way in assisting the State to combat all forms of child abuse and urged the citizenry to join hands with the Government by alerting relevant authorities on cases of child abuse in schools, neighbourhood, villages and urban centres, and cases such as child trafficking, rape, child abandonment, exploitation, child labour among others.
The Speaker, Cross River State Children's Parliament, Miss Theresa Muze thanked the State Government for painstakingly taking care of the needs of the children and the wife of the State Governor, Mrs. ObiomaImoke for also living up to expectation in the same regard.
Highpoints of the occasion were the inspection of a Guard of Honour by the Deputy Governor, Mr. EfiokCobham, mounted by the Police Secondary School, Dance Pass by Man O. War Brigade, Boys Scout, Boys Brigade, various Secondary, Primary, Nursery schools as well as Cultural Dances by pupils.