The Ogun State government said, yesterday, that it had uncovered three fake orphanages in different parts of the state and handed their promoters to the law enforcement agencies for prosecution in accordance with the law.
The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Elizabeth Sonubi disclosed this in Abeokuta at a get-together organised for children in all the 15 registered children homes and orphanages across the state.
According to her, the government has concluded arrangement to review operational policies of the homes and orphanages to reflect current trends, by putting in place a mechanism to monitor them effectively.
She said: “Following the monitoring mechanism put in place, the ministry was able to discover three unregistered orphanages in different parts of the state and handed their promoters over to law enforcement agencies for prosecution in accordance with the law.
“We will continue to monitor activities of the registered children’s homes and orphanages in the state to ensure that they do not involve in unwholesome practices such as baby making factories as recently found in some parts of the country.
“We have put in place an effective monitoring mechanism in the 20 local councils to checkmate any illegality from any orphanage.
“All orphanages need to register with the state government in order to practice in accordance with laid down rules and regulations.
“In essence, what we are after is that, in Ogun State, we do not want any baby making factory where babies are being sold or where you just keep children illegally for selfish gains.
“We have been collaborating with relevant NGOs and the office of the wife of the governor to organise programmes to give a sense of belonging to vulnerable children and create an enabling environment for them to explore their God given talents”, she said.
In his remarks on behalf of other operators, Yemi Ogunmodede, from Gideon Children Home and Orphanage, Asero, Abeokuta acknowledged that the state government had been unrelenting in the care of the less privileged children.
He thanked the state government for the opportunity extended to the children of the homes to socialize with their counterparts in related institutions owned by the Government and pledged that on their parts, the operators would abide by all the rules and regulations.
