By Jonathan Lois
A Bill for an Act to establish the Child’s Right and Welfare Commission for the protection of Children’s right has scaled second reading in the House of Representatives on Thursday.
The Bill is sponsored by Hon.(Barr.) Okey-Joe Onuakalusi, who represents Oshodi/Isolo II Federal Constituency of Lagos State.
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 Right’s Act already existing in 24 states of the Federation.
He said the Bill is segmented into 20 Sections.
He said, “Sections 1 – 3 on the Establishment of the commission,
Sections 4 – 7 duel on Governing Council, Tenure, Functions and Power,
Sections 8 – 10 are on constitution of the Board Members, appointment of the Director – General and other Staff of the Commission,
While Section 11 is on Pensions of the Commission,
Sections 12 and 13 are about establishment of Departments, including Investigation and Monitoring departments that are like the eyes of the Commission,
Sections 14 – 16 have to do with the identification of Offences, Penalties and Jurisdiction of the Commission,
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 that are involved in selling of Babies and Children, operating Baby Factories, illegal Orphanages and Motherless Babies Homes.
“Unlike the Child’s Right’s Act which does not include and point out the above aforementioned but deals on the Child’s right to be given protection and care as necessary for the well being of the Child, taking in consideration the rights and duties of the Child’s parents, legal guardians, individuals, institutions, services, agencies, organizations or bodies legally responsible for the Child, every Child has a right to life, survival and development and etc, whereas the Child’s Right’s Commission is the spring bolt of the Child’s Right’s Act. The Rt. Honourable Speaker and Honourable Colleagues, I therefore request that you all support the passage of this Bill.,” he said.
