Members, Board of Trustees, Youth Alive Foundation (YAF), during a documentary premiere titled “born to be sold” an explosive expose of child’s trafficking and baby factories in Nigeria, at the Silver Bird Galleria in Abuja.
Abuja, Country Director of Youth Alive Foundation (YAF), Dr Udy Akpan, said child trafficking and abuse is a major issue which every citizen and government agencies need to treat as a priority in order to eradicate this menace from the society.
Dr Akpan made this known at a documentary premier titled “born to be sold ” at Silver Bird Galleria, in Abuja.
The documentary is an explosive expose of child trafficking and baby factories in Nigeria.
The event, organised by YAF and sponsored by Common Wealth Foundation (CWF), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP).
Youth Alive Foundation (YAF) is a non-governmental organization whose vision is to ensure that young people can have access to social and economic opportunities and their basic human and political rights are protected.
According to her, the main cause of child trafficking is the poverty and adoption system that is not working.
Executive Director, Ogehi Sam Ikeh Foundation, said the government should set up a tax force that will ensure the implementation of these laws because laws are not effective until it is fully implemented.
“The government should set up tax forces in the 36 states in Nigeria including the FCT” Federal Capital Territory”.
” The tax forces should comprise the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Woman Affairs, NAPTIP, NDLEA, LSCDC, all this stakeholder will come together including civil society groups to ensure that laws that have been signed are implemented”.
“I urge Nigerians to speak up, whenever you see something that is not defined, try to report because if you are not affected you could be infected “.
Desk Officer, Child Protection Act in the Federal Ministry of Woman Affairs, Mr Felix Nwaeseni, said the issue of baby factories in Nigeria has become very worrisome and has gone national, and the Federal Ministry of Woman Affairs cannot keep quiet about it.
“Every Child that is born firstly belongs to the Government before the biological father and mother, every child has the right to life and other rights”.
” Baby factories in Nigeria is a menace for a newborn born child that is so vulnerable to be taken from his or her parents without the child consent is evil and it needs rapid response from the Government “.
“The Government needs to take the social protection act to the next level and declare it a national security issue”.
Mrs Margaret Udo of Girl’s Power initiative (GPI) also said the documentary is meant to enlighten the public and create awareness for the young people, parents and government to know that this kind of act is going on while nobody is doing anything about it.
“I know there are laws on trafficking but the baby factories menace nobody is saying anything about it,”
” The government should make laws and policies specifically for baby factories so that whoever is involved irrespective of your position in the society should face the law”.
” I also feel we as citizens, should try to create awareness and campaigns should be done in schools, churches in the community and every area, people should know the referral platform where they can go to report for proper action to take place.”
” The government should create empowerment programmes for young people, if the young ones are empowered with skills and employment they won’t be willing to give out their baby”.
She pleads with parents to embrace and encourage their female child when they make mistakes of unwanted pregnancy instead of throwing them out.