Kogi vows to stop violence against children

Kogi state government says it will not relent to stop violence against children by using a multi-sectoral approach to ensure that the menace is drastically reduced in the state.

The Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo gave the indication when members of the Rehoboth Community Advancement Initiative; a Non- Governmental Organisation on stopping violence against children paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

The Commissioner said the state government would no longer condone violence against children because they are the defenceless group which government must protect.

Fanwo said the government would adopt divergent methods to step low the cases of violence against children even in the rural communities.

“We have to come up with a multi-sectoral response to end violence against children because they are vulnerable and yet the most cherished asset of the state.”

“All line ministries and non-governmental agencies must be involved in the campaign and sensitisation which we will carry to the grassroots.

“Violence against children is an ill that should spark the attention of all stakeholders in all segments of the society. It is the highest level of man’s inhumanity to man because children constitute the defenceless demography of the society. It is not acceptable.”

Fanwo said the Yahaya Bello-led administration would work out modalities to provide free education to indigent children as a permanent bailout from their condition.

He also revealed that the state would create report centres where cases of violence against children could easily be recorded, explaining that such a database would be useful in attracting assistance from development agencies.

He said the Information sector of the state would explore all avenues possible to collaborate with agencies that would help the state in the fight against the heinous crime.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr Peter Stephen who also spoke during the visit commended the Rehoboth initiative for ending violence against children.

He said the ministry would deploy all its technicalities to support programmes on the safety of the people.

Earlier, the Executive Director of Rehoboth team, Mr Nathaniel Abaniwo had declared Nigeria high-ranking in issues of physical and mental violence against children.

He called for the collaboration of the government to reduce the evil trend in the society.