Sanwo-Olu Commends NGOs For Raising Standard Of Vulnerable Children In Nigeria

Mrs Ibironke Sanwo-Olu, wife of the Lagos State Governor, has commended the Association of Orphanages and Home Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON) for efforts in raising the standard, care and protection of vulnerable children in Nigeria.

Sanwo-Olu gave the commendation in Lagos on Tuesday during the Collaborate Lagos 2023 Edition of ASOHON in conjunction with Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO), an NGO.

She thanked the NGOs for their crucial role in curbing the rate of moral decadence and child neglect which had become rampant in our society today.

“Members of the NGOs assumed roles of caregivers looking after vulnerable members in the society.

“This is even when their own immediate families are also in need of care and attention; it is indeed a service to the community”.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Mrs Azizat Tijani, said the integrity of ASOHON all over the years against child trafficking, child abuse, hasd made the association a force to reckon with.

She, however, emphasised that as many orphanages exist, there were also fake orphanages.

She implored ASOHON to fish out all fake orphanages.

The keynote speaker, Mr Adelopo Ayodeji, Deputy National Coordinator, SOS Children Villages, Isolo, spoke on the theme: “Strengthening Family Ties Through Unification as a Veritable Tool of Alternative Care”.

According to him, the best place for children to live is with their family.

Ayodeji said that if children rights were being violated to the detriment of the children, the government could take over their care.

The guest speaker said there was need to strengthen safety nets to prevent child-family separation.

According to him, family strengthening prevents children from leaving their family and ensures that they remain tied to them noting that the natural place children are meant to receive care is the family.

“Children remain in their family when they have access to essential services, parenting capacity building and family resources”.

Earlier, Mr Ganiyu Dosunmu, State Coordinator, Lagos Chapter of ASOHON, appealed to the state government to expand the scope of health insurance.

Dosunmu said that the NGOs were advancing the cause of vulnerable children in the state and should be captured in the health insurance scheme.