Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, the governor of Benue State, has lamented the difficulties Benue children face over time and urged a cooperative effort to alter the narrative.
This was said by the governor on Friday during the State Steering Committee for the “Save the Benue Child” project’s inaugural meeting.
Alia, accompanied by Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order Fidelis Mnyim, bemoaned the challenges the Benue child had endured over the years, including inadequate healthcare and education.
According to him, the project’s goal was to work with all parties involved by offering support services and conducting community outreach and involvement.
“Today, we acknowledge the stark reality that many Benuean children face challenges that no child should ever have to face,” he stated.
These young people’s lives are at danger due to a variety of factors, including mistreatment, severe poverty, and limited access to healthcare and education. However, we also see a huge opportunity: the chance to bring about significant change and pave the way for opportunity and optimism.
“We will prioritize expanding access to high-quality education, maintaining nutrition and health, identifying and rescuing children who have been the victims of child exploitation, human trafficking, or sexual abuse, offering support services to the most vulnerable of these rescued children, bringing offenders to justice and holding them accountable, and educating the public about these issues.”
“To guarantee that the initiatives are both significant and long-lasting, the government will collaborate with regional communities, governmental bodies, and non-governmental groups.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons’ Zonal Coordinator, Mrs. Gloria Bai, urged all parties involved to contribute to preserving the future of the Benue child in her words.
The “Benue Taskforce on Human Trafficking” is co-chaired by Bai and the state attorney general. The state is experiencing an upsurge in human trafficking incidents, according to the NAPTIP Commander.
The gathering, according to Mrs. Mabel Ade, Executive Director of the Adinya Arise Foundation, marked a turning point in the state’s coordinated effort to combat human trafficking.
