Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP) has called on the state governments that have yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act to do so for the total wellbeing of Nigerian children.
Rev. (Sis) Agatha Chikelue, the Director of COFP, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
Chikelue spoke on the sidelines of an event to mark the 2018 World Day of Prayer and Action for Children in Yemetu IDP Camps in Apo District.
The World Day for Prayer and Action for Children is aimed at improving the lives of children everywhere.
The day was launched in 2008 and is celebrated on Nov. 20, which is the Universal Children’s Day.
Chikelue said that the Day was in commemoration of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Child.
According to her, it is a significant day all over the world and in Nigeria, we try to mark the day with significant activities.“We want to also use this opportunity to call on our government, especially in various states where they have not started implementing the UN Charter on the rights of a child to do so.
“I want to call on this government to think twice, especially on this day, the day United Nations Government passed the rights of the child.
“I want this government to ask themselves this question, if these children are mine would I not do everything to protect them and ensure their safety, education and health?
“If they can do this for their own children, then, our government should have the heart of a parent and implement this in their various states, so that every child will have a right to life, right to education and good health,” Chikelue said.
She said that it was the right of every child to be able to access quality healthcare, calling on government and well meaning Nigerians to provide free healthcare services for children.
Chikelue said: “We decided to come to the IDP camp to offer children living in the camp free medical service.
“Knowing full well the kind of problem going on in the country, especially the health issues of the poor children in the country.’’
The director said that five doctors and three nurses were on ground to attend to over 200 children.
According to her, we deworm them, test for Malaria and give antibiotics depending on their cases.
“When we finish that, we give them snacks, because they cannot take medicine on an empty stomach; then they will go and have fun in the city we have provided for them.
“Generally, we just want to celebrate them today,’’ she said.
Also, Christaina Abraham, the Head Teacher, Great Commission Academy School for the IDPs, thanked the foundation for its continued show of love and care.
Abraham said that the foundation opened the school for the children which had been on for two years.
She, however, called on the government to help them too because the foundation could not do everything.
NAN reports that the event with the theme: “Investing in Child’s Health: Our Pirority ” was organised by COFP in collaboration with the Global Network of Religions for Children Nigeria.
NAN also reports that no fewer than 200 children were attended to by the medical team.
