By Osaretin Osadebamwen
Chairman Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ Abuja Council, Comrade Chuks Ehirim has assured the Society Against Prostitution and Child Labour in Nigeria (SAPCLN) that the NUJ was prepared to partner the organization in her fight against prostitution in the FCT.
Ehirim who said this Tuesday while receiving Management staff of the Coordinator of Society Against Prostitution and Child Labour in Nigeria, SAPCLN at his NUJ office Utako, said that no society is proud to have its streets littered with her daughters parading in nudity and offering their bodies for sell.
He maintained that that the activity of SAPCLN was a moral burden on all backed by the religious and cultural belief system of all Nigerians and must receive the endorsement of the Nigerian people so far as the organization carry out its activities with regard for human dignity.
He pointed out that the activities of SAPCLN is also being executed by the Federal government through NANTIP which has given hope to some Nigerian girls rescued from a life of prostitution abroad where their actions smeared the image of the country.
He said the NUJ will not shy away from supporting such a noble cause against child labour and prostitution which in the long term would sanitizing the society and give the country a good image locally and internationally.
Ehirim said the Councils doors are open for such partnership sought by SAPCLN especially as it would advance the FCT but insisted that in carrying out such action the rights of the citizens must not be breached especially when such chase are being conducted by the expressway.
“I know the government has spend a lot of money and is continuing to spend a lot of money to battle against child labour and prostitution. This people go as far as recovering Nigerian girls who go out to foreign lands sell their bodies and bring them back here to train them and rehabilitate them
“I think that is what you are doing as s private organization, So we should advice that government gives you all the encouragement that you need because what you are doing is to cleanse the image of Nigeria that is being dragged in the mud by the people who are engaged in this, there is no descent girl from any home who is engage in this in-spite of any difficulty that will go to the street to offer her body for sell!
“if your effort will help to eradicate that I think you need a lot applause and the Nigerian union of Journalists which we lead will do everything humanly possible to collaborate with you to ensure that the job you are doing becomes a huge success because if it succeed it is to the glory of our country, and we have always remained in the service of the oppressed and that is what you are doing and you are trying to ensure that
Earlier in her speech Mrs. Grace Adogo sought the partnership of the NUJ to project their activities to the public who seem to be ignorant of her true intentions to help rid the streets of prostitution and hawking under-aged children.
She pointed out that so far about 2, 500 persons have been successfully trained and equipped by the SAPCLN-NGO in various vocations and equipped and mentored for about a year enable them resist the temptation to return to their former life-style.
