Abuja-A Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Mr Habila Joshak, has called on relevant charities in the country to use their contacts with the poor to educate them on family planning.
He made the call when the President of JACCO’s Charity International, an Abuja based NGO, Ms Jodie Frank, paid him a courtesy visit in his office at the Force Headquarters.
Joshak, the DIG in-charge of operations, decried the attitude of poor Nigerians “who breed children that they cannot cater for’’.
He said, “in certain parts of the country, giving birthday to many children is seen as a way of life.
“Mostly involved in this unwholesome practice are poor people who cannot afford to even feed their children let alone clothe and send them to school.
“This is why you have an army of abandoned and homeless children roaming the streets, suffering for no fault of theirs.
“Those responsible for this act use misinterpreted religious doctrines to justify their actions. This is not healthy for the society,’’ he said.
Joshak said that while government and charity organisations were working hard to mitigate the impact of unplanned childbearing on society, those responsible were busy producing more children.
He lauded the efforts of charities like JACCO’s catering for less privileged children in the society, urging them to leverage on their regular contacts with the poor to educate them.
Specifically commending his visitor for her passion and commitment to the welfare of impoverished children living in Abuja suburbs, the DIG said he would assist her in any way he could.
Earlier, Jordi said that JACCO’s Charity International was founded in 2012 to provide succour to street children and orphans who were not privileged to be in orphanages.
She painted a gloomy picture of the plight of such children living in the suburbs of Abuja, saying that society had simply abandoned them.
The NGO president told her host that the organisation had managed to reach out to about 1,500 children in the FCT through the provision of food, clothing and shelter.
She solicited the support of the DIG and other well-meaning Nigerians in reaching out to more children.
Jodie said that JACCO’s Charity was already making arrangements for a social enlightenment programme, including family planning, in Abuja suburbs as advised by her host.
She commended Joshak on his recent elevation to the post of DIG and wished him success in his office.