As part of measures to stem the worrisome trend of child abuse across the country, the Abaji Area Council, in the FCT, has inaugurated a 21-man Committee on Child Rights Implementation Committee (CRIC), at the Council headquarters.
The inauguration was done by the Chairman of the Council, Abdulrahman Ajiya, with all 10 ward councillors and other dignitaries including the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the ActionAid Nigeria (AAN).
The National Assembly passed the Child Rights Act into Law in 2003, but its implementation remains challenging.
CRIC is supported by MATAI, a European Union (EU), sponsored project being implemented by AAN, led by Mr. Adewale Adeduntan.
Ajiya, who commended ActionAid Nigeria for assisting in actualizing the inauguration of the committee said that the event was historic in the Area Council.
“This event is unprecedented in the history of Abaji Area Council. We are indeed grateful for you. If from the onset the rights of our children are abused, then when they grow up, we should not expect anything better than what they inherited from us,” Ajiya said.
The Country Director, AAN, Ene Obi, said, “We know the challenge of CRIC, which is funding, we appeal to the Chairman of Abaji Area Council to support the committee. With support from the EU, ActionAid has put in place a training programme for the committee.”
