Sen. Umeh tasks Nigerians on adequate care for children as he bags outstanding performance award
Sen. Umeh tasks Nigerians on adequate care for children as he bags outstanding performance award
The senator representing Anambra Central Sen. Victor Umeh has emphasised the need for adequate care and sound education for all Nigerian children.
Sen. Umeh who made the call in Abuja on Saturday at the second edition of the Nigerian Assembly public orientation and award ceremony organised to recognise and honour legislative and non-legislative achievers in the 8th National Assembly described children as special segment of the society. He also decried the inhuman treatment some of them go through on daily basis. “When you take a child that is less than 16 years and put him in prison, it’s unconscionable for any nation to do that. The child at that age should not be punished for any offence indeed. What you need to do is to reform the child. Take the the child over, reform the child, prepare the child for the future and release him back to the society.
“But here, we take children who go on the street hawking to support their families due to lack of social security. They’re not given education and the only we can pay them back for denying them their rights as children is not to subject them to further dehumanisation and punishment, throwing them into prisons and allow them to rot away in detention” he said.
Sen. Umeh who was sworn into the red chambers of National Assembly in January 2018 said it is not how long one has occupied a position of trust that matters but how impactful one is in the service of humanity. He expressed gladness that in his about 10 months stay in the Senate, he has sponsored motions that have touched the lives of many Nigerians including children.
The former national chairman of APGA who in May sponsored a bill against illegal confinement of underage offenders and infants in same prison with adult prisoners described the bill as non-sectional and appealed to his colleagues in the National Assembly to put Nigeria in the forefront in all they do. “I’m also passing this message to the executive arm of government. We should not discriminate against any Nigerian in any affairs of governance. Let us live together and harmoniously. They should see any problem that affects any part of Nigeria as a problem that affects the whole of Nigeria” he said.
He called on all Nigerians to do more to protect the children, whom he described as vulnerable from assaults. He expressed sadness over the death of Elizabeth Ochanya, a 13 year old girl who was recently raped to death by his caregivers in Benue state. He called for strict adherence to the child right Act as a way to curb abuse against children.
He thanked the organisers of the event Nigeria Assembly News for finding him worthy of the honour and vowed never to relent.
Another award recipient and the lawmaker representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency Hon. Linus Abba Okorie, expressed gratitude to Nigeria Assembly News for the honour.
The chairman House Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions dedicated the award to his committee, which he described as new for the work they’re doing to reposition the agricultural sector.
Hon. Okorie had recently sponsored a bill for an Act to repeal and re-enact the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria Act in the floor of the House. It is hoped that when this bill is enacted, it will modernise and strengthen the ARCN and reposition it appropriately to drive agriculture in line with the economic diversification agenda of the federal government.
Also honoured at the event include governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nassarawa state, Sen. Bala Ibn Na’Allah, Hon. Balogun Yakub Abiodun and Hon. Joyce Betty Apiafi. Others include the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, the National Commandant Peace Corps of Nigeria, the D.G Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Yakubu Muhammed and the Executive Secretary NCC Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta and host of others.
- Addressing newsmen, the coordinator of Nigeria Assembly News, Mr. Omoboye O. Adeboye said the event was organised to recognise Nigerian parliamentarians and their partners who are providing complementary achievements with the legislative and non-legislative players in the project Nigeria democracy. The theme of the 2018 orientation and award ceremony is The Role of the Executive, Judiciary and Legislature in project Nigeria Democracy.
