The Mees Palace Football Academy (MPFA), Jos, has organised a sensitisation programme for young footballers of the academy on the dangers of child trafficking.The event was tagged “Dangers of Child Trafficking and Benefits of Educating the Girl-Child”.Speaking at the event on Friday in Jos, Mr Emmanuel Adukwu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the academy, said the sensitisation is aimed at creating awareness on the negative effects of child trafficking.He said the event, organised in collaboration with Roost Foundation, Jos Chillin and AIESEC international, was part of its 2021 Children’s Day celebration.He added that the exercise would serve as an eye opener for the young footballers to be wary of fake agents who will come with the promise of taking them to play for clubs abroad without proper arrangements.
“We are doing this because we know that a lot of young talented footballers have been deceived by traffickers in the past. A good number of them are currently suffering in other countries.“So, we decided to put this together so that we can sensitise these young ones to enable them grow with the knowledge of the existence of traffickers.“It will be our joy to see these boys and girls excel in life through football, but not through shoddy means,” he said.On the benefit of educating the girl child, Adukwu called on parents and guardians to ensure the inclusion of the girl child in the scheme of things.He also advised parents to give the best form of education to the girl child, noting that women are the pillars of the society.On her part, the guest speaker at the event, Mrs Julie Okah-Donli, former Director General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), said human trafficking is a grave crime against humanity.Okah-Donli, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Roost Foundation, identified ignorance, greed, lack of education, unemployment, peer pressure and poverty as causes of trafficking.
She also identified other causes of trafficking to include, high demand for cheap labour, parental neglect, large families, among others.She advised parents, religious and community leaders, and other stakeholders to support the government in creating proper awareness on the dangers of human trafficking.She also called on members of the public to report any suspected cases of human trafficking or child abuse within their vicinities to the relevant authority for prompt action.On her part, Mrs Rebecca Sambo, the Plateau State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, said the event would add value to what goverment is already doing to ensure the protection of rights of children.
According to her, the governor of the state, Simon Lalong, is passionate about the development of children, hence the signing into law of the child rights Act, gender and equal opportunity Act, among others.She promised that government will continue to enact laws and initiate policies to protect the rights of children in the state. (NAN)
