Implement child Right law domesticated in 2005 – NACWYCA …Urges Gov. Sule to establish juvenile courts in Nasarawa

By David Okpashi

A Non Governmental Organisation,Center for Women, Youth and Community Action, (NACWYCA) has appealed to the Nasarawa State government to speed up the implementation of the Child Right law domesticated in the state since 2005.

The organization has also beg governor Abdullahi Sule to establish and put to use family Courts in Nasarawa State to address cases of juveniles.

Director and chief Executive of Centre for Women, Youth and Community Action NACWYCA, Dr Nawani Aboki who made the call at a two day practice Direction Review meeting for judges in Nasarawa State said non implementation of child Right law since 2005 and the delay in the establishment of family Courts in the state was not only hampering the urgency the project required but impacting negatively on the right of the children in Nasarawa State.

Dr Aboki explained that the implementation and establishment of family Courts in Nasarawa State and the country at large would not only stem the Child rights violations, but safe guard the rights of children through collaborative efforts of the development partnersHe said the five years project was basicallyon the imperative of the child Right law but regretted the impediment associated with it’s full implementation in the five states,

According to Aboki, this informed the basis of the practice Direction meeting with the judges involved in the implementation of the project funded by the USAID and other partners to ensure that children in the five states in the North Central rights are safe guarded through collaborative efforts of the parents, government and there civil society.

Aboki said the rule of family Courts when established would regulate proceedings relating to the right, advancement and welfare of the child under the Nasarawa State Child’s rights law 2005 and other connected issues therein.

“We are asking of the child rights law including establishment of family court to try children with cases conflicting the law; building of functional safe spaces to accommodate child offenders, Juvenile homes for the rehabilitation of such children; budgetary allocation for CRL implementation and practice direction in line with section 218 of the child rights law, which provides for establishment of government accommodation for children below 18 years safe spaces for children under investigation”.

“Ordinary government must prioritize the child Right and education of our children. This is necessary and I think that what is required to strengthen all that the child Rights law is for the government and it’s organs to prioritize the children”, Dr Aboki stated.

Speaking consciously at the practice Direction meeting, the Nasarawa State Chief Judge, Justice Aisha Aliyu said the state government under the leadership of Abdullahi Sule was keen and doing everything to ensure the implementation of the family Courts to address the juveniles in Nasarawa.

According to the state Chief Judge, four family Courts were already in existence in Nasarawa adding that arrangements were on to provide accomodations for the judges and the juveniles who she said would be vulnerable to the kept with the criminals.

Justice Aisha Aliyu gave the assurance that government will facilitate the practice Direction, review and make input on the draft practice direction to pave the way for full implementation of the child Rights law and family Courts.

She charged the judges involved in the juvenile cases to be thorough and professional in the discharge of their statutory duties.