Lagos State Government has revealed that 416 cases of varied forms of child abuses were reported in the last one year.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mr Mobolaji Abubakre Ogunlende, disclosed this at the ongoing annual ministerial press briefing to mark the first year of the second term of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in Lagos.
Giving a breakdown, he said that there were 49 reported cases of physical abuse, 14 cases of sexual abuse, 14 cases of defilement, 17 cases of child trafficking, 51 cases of abandonment and six cases of child marriage.
There were also cases of found missing children, children needing shelter, among others.
According to Ogunlende, “The ministry in the last one year has embarked on aggressive sensitization and advocacy campaigns to curb vices like drug abuse, street begging and child abuse in a bid to create a conducive socioeconomic environment for development.”
The commissioner said the ministry equipped 39,564 adolescents with basic life skills while 46922 were trained on life planning and provided counselling services.
He added that 90 men and 35 women involved in drug abuse and addictive substance were admitted into the state’s rehabilitation and vocational training centres in Ajah and Isheri.
Ogunlende said the present administration through the ministry also received 1115 applications for adoptions, out of which 995 were local and 54 were international request.
He also said: “All residents of Lagos irrespective of their ethnicity or religion will enjoy more social services in this second term of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s administration in fulfilment of the electoral promise.”
The Permanent Secretary, Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu, stated that:” In a bid to better the lots of Lagosians, the ministry collaborated with the United State Agency for International Development (UNSAID) to empower out-of-school youth in four urban slum with sexual reproductive and livelihood skills under the Youth Powered Ecosystem in Advance Urban Adolescent Health (YPE4AH). We also partnered with Ishk Tolaramt to empower some youth with specific skills towards enhancing their employability and entrepreneurship prospects.”
“Our youth generally referred to as the leaders of tomorrow have been given a fair share in the scheme of things.”
Meanwhile, the commssioner, Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs, Ibrahim Layode, has said the ministry will continue to facilitate, maintain as well as enhance harmonious relationship among faith based groups and organisations while promoting peaceful coexistence among residents.
Layode said the ministry had been supervising the operations of both the Christians and Muslims pilgrims welfare board among other interventions.
In a related development, the Commissioner said the report on pilgrimage in Israel is being studied to ensure the state of Israel is safe for pilgrimage.
The Commissioner stated that a delegation would be sent to Israel to assess the situation following escalation of war between Gaza and Israel.
