A Coalition of Orphanage and Children’s Home in Nigeria (COCHIN) has urged government across the country to create policies that would support orphanage homes for them to be able to cater for children whose parents are no more.
Speaking during a road walk to mark World Orphans Day in Abuja, the President of COCHIN, Sen. Eze Ajoku, said the subsidies are important as no one os interested in orphans, especially those in orphanage homes, but the orphanage owners, thus, orphans have become Nigeria’s forgotten children.
Ajoku pointed that the day was to create awareness on what orphans face because in different fore, they have shouted and no one is listening on their plights with no initiatives or governmental plans that include them to forge a path in their lives with equal opportunities with others.
“Government is not interested and they have done nothing for this orphanage children. Some of which are in elementary, secondary and tertiary schools and are only sponsored by orphanage owners. But this children are Nigerians and not that of the orphanage owners.”
“In FCT, they have not come to our aid in any way, either through funding or discount in facilities like water rate, electricity bills or refuse collection. These are small things they can do for the orphans to make sure that the lives of the children are better.”
He added that there is need for every one to show concern as orphans are being generated everywhere in Nigeria through the activities of Boko Haram, HIV AIDS, kidnappings and other menaces that led to killings of parents in the country.
“Some are roaming the streets, in orphanage and IDP camps. So government should have a programme to recovery this Nigerian children before it becomes too late. When they become a problem, it will be a problem for every successive administration.”
