Fred Itua, Abuja
The Federal Government has revealed that 11 states out of 36 and the FCT were yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act which was passed into law 17 years ago.
Minister Of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, made this known during a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Women Affairs on two bills “Older Persons’ Rights and Privileges Bill 2020 and The Child Rights Act, 2003 Amendment Bill 2020” in Abuja.
She said the states were predominantly from the North and listed Adamawa, Gombe and Bauchi among them.
Tallen said she was working round the clock, reaching out to governors and members in Houses of Assembly in various states to ensure they domesticate the Act in their jurisdiction.
“The good news is that we are making some progress. Out of the 36 states, we now have 25 states that have domesticated the Act. I’m still not too happy that we still have 11 states that are yet to domesticate the Act. However, I’m reaching out. I just returned from an advocacy tour of some of the states and I am still moving on until I cover the 11 states,” she said.
She said she just returned from Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe and that the three states had reassured they would work on it.
Senate Committee Chairman on Women Affairs, Betty Apiafi, said the bill, when passed, would enhance the quality of life and other related matters.
She said senior citizens deserve better lives and good care. She said there would be provision for social security and integrated health services for senior citizens.
She said the Child Rights Act, 2003 (Amendment) Bill, 2020 “seeks to amend the Act to provide for a person convicted of attempted rape to be unsuitable to work with children.”
“During the lockdown, cases of rape surged to such an unprecedented level. This menace must stop. It is inhumane, unethical and a dent to womanhood. Perpetrators of this dastardly act must face the consequences of their action.”
Also speaking, Senator Eze Ajoku, President of Coalition of Societies for the Rights of Older Persons in Nigeria, said that it was the coming together of the coalition that gave birth to the bill.
He said that the bill was the first attempt to bring out Nigerian older persons in any form of bill that would determine their rights and privileges.
Ajoku said the bill provided for some discounts for older persons in private hospitals whereas it wasn’t obtainable in Federal Government Hospitals where most of the older persons were attended to.