Edo Govt. Organizes Pre-validation Meeting with Orphanage Operators

By Ehis Agugu

The Edo State Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues has held a meeting on alternative care guidelines for vulnerable persons’ pre-validation with orphanage operators in the State.

According to the Ministry, the meeting is yet another deliberate effort of the Edo State Government to implement institutional reforms, but this time to strengthen the operations of orphanages and other alternative caregivers in the State.

The pre-validation meeting was centered on the available alternative care guidelines for vulnerable children as well as a working document that forms and guides the implementation and monitoring of alternative care services in the State.

While declaring the workshop open, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, Mrs. Barbara Osobajo, noted that the essence of the pre-validation meeting is to make sure that every child in Edo State is protected.

She emphasized that the guidelines for alternative child care are intended to supplement the Edo State’s Child Rights Law and relevant provisions of other legal instruments applicable in Edo State concerning the protection and well-being of children who are at risk of being deprived of parental care.

She explained: “The crux of the pre-validation meeting is to look at the way we can strengthen how orphanages are run in Edo State, so the Ministry in collaboration with an International Non Governmental Organization (NGO), Societas Socialis (SOS) Children’s Villages came together and brought our partners, the orphanage operators on board to intimate them with what that guideline is all about so that by the time we are launching, it will not be strange to them and there wouldn’t be resistance.

“Part of the reform is to empower the orphanages and keep our Home Operators up to speed on these guidelines, in conjunction with applicable legislation and Policies. With that in view, it is therefore safe to say that we are gathered primarily in the best interest of our children in need of parental care and protection.”

In her remarks, the functioning Director of Child Development Department, Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, Mrs. Kate Bello, stated that the alternative care guideline is a pathway for enhancing service delivery among orphanages in Edo State.

She said, “This document that we intend to launch will help to streamline other homes which are not up to standard to standardize orphanages in Edo State.

“While they are transiting from orphanages to a family-like care system which will help better the children to have a family, we hope that after the launch of the document, orphanage operators would run with it to eliminate crimes such as the sales of babies.”

On her part, Barr. Elisabeth Iyamuogie, a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Benin, Benin City, who spoke on the regulatory role of the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, said the Ministry has the legal mandate to supervise orphanages.

According to her, supervision can be carried out by inspecting things in the homes, whatever it is that needs to be inspected and it will be wise that these orphanages comply with these new guidelines.

Also, an Operator of Trinitarian Foundation for Orphans and the Helpless, Sister Mary Agatha, commended the Ministry and said that the program will give the orphans hope and they can be sure to be in places they can call their home.

The Edo State Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues is saddled with the regulatory responsibility of overseeing the activities of orphanages and it is using the event to bring orphanage operators to communicate the provisions of the alternative care guidelines expected to be launched in the coming weeks as the new guidelines are expected to spell out penalties for any home that runs fowl as it gears toward giving every Edo child a meaningful life.