Governor’s wife cautions against child labour

Eniola Ajayi, Lagos

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to mark the 2017 World Day Against Child Labour, wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Bolanle Ambode, has called on parents and guardians put an end to all forms of child labour and pay more attention to the welfare of their children and wards.

Mrs Ambode made the remarks while interacting with newsmen in Ikeja, in the spirit of the global event.

According to her, “child labour is a crime against humanity as it keeps the child away from all benefits of childhood, which is about the happiest and most memorable period in the life of a human-being.”

She stressed that the non-eradication of the illegal act interferes with the rights of children to basic education, making them vulnerable and consequently, social liability to the nation.

“Child labour refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives children of the joy of childhood; interferes with their ability to attend regular schools, which is mentally, physically, socially and morally dangerous as well as harmful to the society; this practice is considered exploitative.”

“Every child should enjoy childhood by living in the love and care of their parents; however, this illegal act of child labour forces the child to live like an adult, it causes untold emotional pains for the child and leads to unhealthy and unbalanced development of the mind, as well as social and intellectual backwardness,” the Governor’s wife added.

Future leaders

She further stated that healthy children were the future and power-house of any nation, saying that engaging in child labour amounted to spoiling and destroying the future of the children and the society.

Mrs Ambode maintained that Lagos State was the first state in the federation to pass the Child’s Rights Law, thereby providing the platform to enforce the rights of the child.

She enjoined parents and guidance to always ensure adequate school enrolment for their children and wards.
