PH
The Imo State government said it was addressing anomalies around child adoption in an effort to combat trafficking of minors.
Deputy Governor, Eze Madumere, pledged the government’s commitment following the inauguration of a ten-member Committee on Modification of Child Adoption Procedure earlier this week.
Madumere stated the charge of the committee was to prevent all the irresponsible fall-outs and ensure that couples who are genuinely in need of children to adopt were identified, properly screened and served.
He disclosed that setting up of the committee was as a result of petitions and complaints about staggering irregularities observed by the public in the process of child adoption to the state.
He said the complaints were more worrisome following the global trend of child trafficking and other related problems associated with human trafficking and modern-day slavery.
Madumere said the inauguration of the Committee on Modification of Child Adoption Procedure was aimed at ensuring the security and safety of the children who were involved in the transaction and to ensure unscrupulous elements involved in the threat were checked, apprehended and brought to book.
He regretted the emergence of make-shift homes where unlicensed medical personnel assembled young girls and encouraged them to get pregnant for a prize and bear children who would be eventually sold for adoption.
Chairman of the Committee, Bishop Stanford Nwogu, accepting the appointment on behalf of his members, said the officials appreciated the Imo administration for finding them worthy to serve the state especially to deliver on such a sensitive responsibility.
