By Ameachi Prosper
The Senior Special Assistant SSA, to the Delta State Governor on Child Rights Advocacy, Barr. Bridget Anyafulue, has attributed the moral and socio- decadence confronting the nation to the inability of parents to take proper care of their children and wards.
To this end, she admonished parents to rise up to the challenges and ensure there is peace at home, since according to her, if there is no peace at home there won’t be peace in the nation.
Anyafulue who stated this when she addressed the Women of Anglican Diocese of Warri during a Night of Praises and Worship, at the Good Shepherd Anglican Church, Warri last Friday said Nigerian children are now living like a ship in the high sea without a rudder.
“Delta State Government is very worried about the future of our youths, many parents are too busy to the extent that they don’t care about their children anymore. Some parents even make trouble with teachers who discipline their children in the school. Many also send their wards to hawk without minding the risk.”
She called on the church to intensify in praying for the future of the Nigerian children, noting that the church remains the bedrock of any nation.
The SSA said against the background of rampant abuses and continued agitation, even after the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), by the United Nation in 1948, it had dawned on the world community that especially legal instruments were needed to protect vulnerable persons, especially women and children.
She said the convention on the rights of the child was adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by the General Assembly resolution 44/25 of November 1989, which enter into force in September 2,1990 in accordance with article 49, with a total of about 193 nations ratified the convention.
According to her, Nigeria ratified the convention on Rights of the child on April 16, 1991 and enacted the Child Rights Acts in 2003, while the Delta State Child Rights Bill was passed by the State House of Assembly on November 25, 2008, and was signed into law on March 5, 2009 which became effective in 2012 when it was gazetted.
While calling on the parents to be alive to their duties on the care of their children and wards, Barr. Anyafulue said it is an offence for any parents, guardians or neighbours who abuse any of the rights of the child or attempts to frustrate government efforts to secure those rights.
Earlier, in an exhortation, Ven. E. Agbawe, called on Christians to draw closer to Jesus Christ because he is the only hope for mankind.
Speaking on the theme of the programme; “No Satisfying Substitute”, Agbawe citing John 6:60-71, said “This topic is very appropriate at this time because it takes a look at the present generation, it draws the attention of the real thing of life. As far as Christianity is concern there is the real thing and urged believers to settle for the real thing of life.”
Continuing; “At that time, there are so many teachers like Jesus Christ preaching all manner of things, but when multitude were following Jesus Christ and suddenly when Jesus turn back, they were all gone remaining only twelve and he asked them are you not running away like others? But Simon Peter replied saying; where do we run to when you are the only one of God?”
Agbawe said Christianity has been watered down, even in the the church, the question is where do we begin? “Jesus was not the only teacher but he was the real thing.”
According to him; “Many of you visit so many prophets because they tell you what you want to hear. Those of you who ran helterskelter in 2016, i plead with you to come back to Jesus. No matter the challenges it is only Jesus Christ can solve our problems.”
The high point of the programme was a prayer session for the Government of Delta State and Delta State Children.
