Reps move to establish ‘Child’s Rights and Welfare Commission’

Indications emerged on Thursday that the House of Representatives may soon endorse the establishment of the Child’s Rights and Welfare Commission in the country.

Pursuant to the goal, the plenary presided over by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu successfully deliberated on a Bill to achieve the objective.

The Bill sponsored by Okey-Joe Onuakalusi, representing Oshodi/Isolo II Federal Constituency of Lagos State scaled second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Leading the debate on the general principles of the Bill, he said the Child’s Rights Commission Act with some specific functions is different from the Child’s Rights Act already existing in 24 states of the Federation.

He said the Bill is segmented into 20 Sections with “Sections 1 – 3 on the Establishment of the commission, Sections 4 – 7 dwelling on Governing Council, Tenure, Functions and Power, Sections 8 – 10 are on the constitution of the Board Members, the appointment of the Director – General and other Staff of the Commission.

While Section 11 concerns the Commission’s pensions, Sections 12 and 13 concern the establishment of Departments, including Investigation and Monitoring departments that are like the Commission’s eyes. Sections 14 – 16 concern the identification of Offences, Penalties, and the Commission’s jurisdiction.

Sections 17 – 19 are about the Funds, Power to Borrow, Accounts and Audit of the Commission and section 20 is the Citation of this Bill.”

He said these sections as contained in the Bill are explicit and self-explanatory.

He said the bill is distinctive in nature and functions as it shall, when passed into law, prohibit, prevent, detect, prosecute, and punish those involved in selling Babies and Children, operating Baby Factories, operating illegal Orphanages, and Motherless baby homes.