NAPTIP calls for collective fight against child labour

(Nigeria) Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba, the Executive Secretary, National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons, NAPTIP, has urged stakeholders to work together to fight child labour in the country.

Jedy- Agba told News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday that ensuring a child labour-free society was the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.

“I would like Nigerians to realise that the children, not just our own biological children, are our future. It is very worrisome when you see the kind of abuse that children of the less privileged are subjected to simply because they do not have the kind of financial resources that we have.

``For every child that you exploit and abuse, you are actually endangering your child, because if the child is not educated, well-protected, the child would be pre-disposed to a life of crime, and it’s the same society in which you are raising your children.

``So, it’s actually better for the development of our nation, that we ensure that children who are entrusted to us are given adequate care, protection, and education particularly.``

According to Jedy-Agba, it has been difficult proving that child labour or exploitation occurs where the issue of baby factories is concerned, as the agency is still faced with the challenge of standards of proof.

She said that such cases were usually transferred to the police and were treated as criminal issues.

``We have several penal legislations dealing with buying and selling of human beings, and prohibiting baby selling, particularly the Child Rights Act and the laws of various states in the federation, so the police can actually address it.

``For us, there is an issue of standard of proof, because NAPTIP has to prove that the child is being sold for the purpose of exploitation and abuse, if we can’t proof that, then it becomes a normal criminal case, not necessarily a NAPTIP matter, and that’s why we can’t always intervene.

``We do work with the police, with the DSS, and states ministries of women affairs and depending on the facts and circumstances of the case, we then refer them to the police as a criminal for prosecution.``

Jedy-Agba commended the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs for the effort it was making to improve the lives of children through the formulation and implementation of relevant policies.

She said that the agency would continue to contribute its quota to ensure better protection for the Nigerian child.