By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja – The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) says negligence and greed of parents which expose children to child labour will no longer be tolerated by the agency.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Mrs Julie Oka-Donli, gave the warning on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to commemorate 2017 World Day Against Child Labour, in Abuja.
NAN recalls that the International Labour Organisation (ILO) inaugurated the World Day against child labour in 2002, which has become an annual event to raise global awareness on the plight of children that are victims of child labour.
Okah-Donli explained that children were gifts from God; and parents were under obligation to take care of them until they were of age.
She, however, expressed regrets that many parents were feeding fat on the sweat of their children by making them bread winners at a very tender age.
The director-general described the trend as evil that was being perpetuated by parents and guardians and which must be discouraged.
She said such children were often denied the opportunity of acquiring education or having recreational activities like their peers.
“As we mark this day, let us all arise as a people and make peace with each other for the sake of our children and those unborn,’’ she said.
The NAPTIP boss, however, stated that the agency, which was established in 2003 to eradicate human trafficking in Nigeria, remained highly committed to the protection of children and would join hands with other stakeholders around the world to end child labour.
Okah-Donli urged Nigerians to remain their brother’s keeper and guard against child labour by reporting such incidences to the appropriate authorities.
