WRITTEN BY LADY NDIDI MEZUE

May 27 every year has been designated as Children’s Day to highlight the dignity of children and their need for love, care and respect. It is a day to instill in the children a sense of independence and national pride.

In August 1925, some 54 representatives from different countries gathered in Geneva, Switzerland to convene the first “World Conference for the Well being of Children”, during which the “Geneva Declaration Protecting Children” was passed. The proclamation made a strong appeal for the spiritual needs of children, relief for children in poverty, prevention of child labor, reassessing the way that children are educated and other issues related to the welfare of children around the world.

Children’s Day is a great day set aside by the United Nations to pay tribute to all children; a day of reflection for policy makers, guardians and parents to redirect their attention to the all important role of nurturing for the future.

While we celebrate our children, this day calls for deep reflection on the various roles we play as parents and guardians, especially as it involves creating a safe space and ensuring that our children are protected from various societal maladies that have bedeviled the current generation.

The theme for this year, “Drug Abuse Among Children: Addressing the Challenges”, aptly captures today’s dilemma that our society is presently faced with. National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, defines drug abuse as excessive and persistent self-administration of a drug without regard to the medical or cultural accepted patterns.

It is the use of a drug to the extent that it interferes with the health and social function of an individual. This captures clearly the way in which drugs are used amongst age zero to 17years. Among the chief reason why children abuse drugs is Curiosity to experiment the unknown facts about drugs. Another is Peer Influence. As they try to depend less on parents, they show more dependency on their friends. Complete absence of parental supervision is also a major cause of drug abuse among children.

Also, children with personality problems arising from social conditions have been found to abuse drugs. The social and economic status of most Nigerians is below average. Poverty is widespread, broken homes and unemployment are on the increase, therefore our youth roam the streets looking for employment or resort to begging. These situations have been aggravated by lack of skills, opportunities for training and lack of committed action to promote job.

Interestingly, Governor Willie Obiano’s administration has continued to show love for the kids. It has remained resolute in ensuring that extreme conditions that lead to the abuse of drugs among children have been reduced to the barest minimum. The youth and child-friendly governor pushes the bars of limitation by ensuring prompt payment of salaries of parents to ensure that they meet their obligations to the children.

Akpokuedike upgrades and repairs school infrastructure to ensure conducive learning environment for Children as well as strengthens relevant agencies of government to ensure enforcement of the rights of the Children. He sustains good Maternal and child healthcare programmes and ensures effective partnership with donor partners for the establishment of correction center for children in conflict with the Law. These Child-friendly actions have, no doubt, curbed the spate of drug abuse among children in Anambra.

Additionally, the wife of the Governor, Dr. Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano (Osodieme), in recognizing that socio-economic condition also leads to drug abuse among children, has, through her pet project, Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ), trained and empowered over 4,700 Ndi Anambra in various Skills, built over 25 houses for indigent widows and more than 50 toilets facilities across various markets in the State.

These interventions are in addition to efforts being made by the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs that has constantly raided the streets to ensure that our children who should be in school are not used by trade merchants for begging. These children and their parents, when raided, get rehabilitated before repatriation to their various States. The ministry’s collaboration with CAFÉ also ensures that parents of these children, who use them for begging, learn new skills and are empowered to live independent life ever after.

As we celebrate another children’s day today, parents should sincerely evaluate their parent-child relationship. We must set our priorities right. While we strive to put food on the table, it is also important that the character and behavior of those at the dining table should be carefully nurtured.

No related posts.