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| School aged hawkers -Ogun State government trying to put an end to this. |
This picture really brings tears and pain to my eyes.These kids can't be more than 7-8...and
there childhood has been deprived..taken away..abused...Now who is to blame? The parents or the Government? For me the government all the time.To start with the law Ogun State is passing now,banning all school aged children from street hawking
at shcool hours should have been enforced 50 years ago! But why would it? Those fools don't care..they know their children will never be in that situation so they don't give a damn!! Look at these kids for Gods sake! Look at their eyes..the best years of their lives is taken..their is no life,spark or joy in those eyes...maybe if they had had the opportunity to go to school and then help their parents out later in the day,they might see it as an adventure and have fun with it..but when that is all you know..and you see other kids going to school...
Jeez i don't even wanna think about it..this is bad...my heart is really broken...but back to the Ogun State goverment's new stance.
The Ogun government on Wednesday banned street hawking and trading by school-aged children during school hours.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Elizabeth Sonubi, announced the ban at a sensitisation rally in Abeokuta.
She warned that any child caught violating the order twice would be warned, and if arrested the third time would be remanded at the state juvenile home.
Sonubi said the child would only be released after payment of a specified fine and presentation of tax receipts by his or her parents or guardian.
The government probably means well,but why must they always do things the other way round?Have they stopped to think that a lot of these kids are orphans? Or that a lot of them are actually with forster parents who dont care what happens to them?Or that some of the parents are so frustrated and broke that they dont really care what happens to some of those kids? So how can the government even think of putting these children in a juvenile home?And you and i know very well waht this means in Nigeria..a juvenile home is not a place where they will be catered and cared for,its more like a punishment centre.In the western world if a child is not catered for by its parents how they should,the child is taken into CARE...not a juvenile home..but into CARE by the social services..these kids may then end up in forster homes of suitable candidates or in a monitored hostel...they will go to school and have a proper upbringing..but in Nigeria it's all about holding them as hostages and making their parent pay to get them back..i tire for my country...moving on....
“We want every child to take opportunity of what they have now and ensure they acquire skills. We want parents and guardians to monitor their children as they are the leaders of tomorrow.
“If we take care of them, there will be peace in our homes, state and the nation at large,” she said.
Sonubi however, implored parents and guardians to monitor the educational and moral development of their wards to enable them become productive citizens in the future
Lets hope a generation are saved from what many of their predecessors went through.
Save the children