The National Orientation Agency (NOA) in collaboration with the Kaduna State Ministry of Human Services and Social Development conducted a community dialogue on children’s rehabilitation, integration and justice on Friday in Kaduna.
Hajiya Sa’adatu Aliyu, the Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officer, Kaduna North, said the purpose of the dialogue was to engage the people on matters related to child welfare and care.
“We intend to identify civil society and community-based organisations helping orphans in education, feeding and clothing.
“Any individual or organisation interested in adopting orphans or abandoned children is advised to go through the ministry, the police or traditional heads of the communities,’’ Alitu said.
She noted that there were many people desirous of taking care of orphans, but had no idea on how to adopt a child legally, adding that the dialogue would address such issue.
Earlier, Alhaji Ibrahim Adamu, Member, Justice for Children and a facilitator at the programme said that lots of children were molested and abandoned, a situation that had created problems in the society.
Adamu said there was the need for communities to collaborate with government and relevant agencies to ensure that such children were integrated into the family system.
In his remarks, Mr Alhassan Umar, the village head of Hayin Banki said: “’We have been helping orphans and disabled children in the past, but we now have better enlightenment on how to sustain the help.’’
Another participant, Ms Radiyatu Shehu-Galadima, commended the organisers for additional enlightenment on how to report cases of children abandonment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was supported by UNICEF.
It had “Strengthening community structures to support community rehabilitation, reintegration and justice for children’ as its theme.
