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The Nigerian National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, has warned that employment of children below the age of 12 as domestic help in Nigeria is now a criminal offense, which attracts a minimum jail term of two years with no
option of fine.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Mrs Beatrice Jedy Agba, who made this known while presenting the new Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act in Abuja yesterday, said “the Act has come into operation with effect from March 26th, 2015, which is the date that President Goodluck Jonathan assented to it”.
She added that “The New Act prohibits the employment of a child below the age of 12 years as a domestic help, while the exploitation of a child under the age of 18 years who is employed as a domestic help is also prohibited”.
They will still probably find a way around it...employ this underage kids for domestic help and say they are family or something,but at least this law will greatly reduce this unfortunate practice.Also they might be forced to send these kids to school to prove they are family.The kid will end up getting an education.Its still not totally wonderful,but at least the kids have the chance for a future with an education.
Mrs. Agba recalled that the Agency in 2011, based on identified gaps in the TIP Act 2003 as amended in 2005, had proposed its re-enactment to enable NAPTIP and its partners combat trafficking in persons better than it was doing.