Imo vows to tackle illegal child adoption, trafficking

The Imo State Government has received the report of the committee on illegal child adoption and trafficking after seven months of its inauguration by the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere.
Receiving the report of the Bishop Stanford Nwogu-led Committee on Wednesday in his office at the Imo State Government House, Owerri, Madumere commended the committee for timely submission and for a work well done given the caliber of personalities with unimpeachable character who are members of the committee.
It will be recalled that having tackled and arrested many culprits on the vexed issue of illegal child adoption and with its resolve to wipe out such heinous practices in whatever guise on the directive of Governor Rochas Okorocha, Madumere had constituted and inaugurated a committee in March 2016 to check and end the menace.
Madumere had also urged the committee to pay attention to the terms of reference which bordered on: ascertaining the root cause of the widespread anomalies associated with child adoption and proffer solutions; reviewing of the subsisting applications and determine their genuineness or otherwise; make recommendations on the best methods to ensure that adoption laws are not violated; to make recommendations on ways to strengthen existing legal framework on adoption, among other recommendations.
Speaking further on Wednesday, Madumere said that the effort is to ensure that the welfare of adopted children are not taken for granted and to also protect the child from getting into the wrong hands especially in the hands of traffickers.
Thanking the committee, Madumere assured them of government’s readiness to implement the recommendations after studying the content.
Speaking earlier, while handing over the two volumes of his committee reports and recommendations, Nwogu gave assurances that they have diligently delivered on their mandate, with necessary correlation to the terms of references handed down to them.
While thanking the Okorocha-led government for choosing the honourable path to protect every child in Imo State, he prayed for the implementation of their recommendations after study.
The members of the committee included the Attorney General of Imo State, Militus Nlemadim; Imo State Commissioner for Health, Hon. Ngozi Njoku (Secretary); Imo State Commissioner of Police, Prince Taiwo Lakanu; Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps; representative of NAPTIP, Udechukwu Chukwu; the Principal Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Imo State, Chief Obinna Aharanwa; Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, Owerri Branch, Lawrenec Nwaketi; Vice Chairman, Nigeria Red Cross, Prince Keke Chima; and Chief Orikeze Ajumbe, the immediate past Commissioner for Information and Strategy.