Tackling the Menace of Baby Factories, Abortion Sunday Ehigiator
writes that in commemoration of the recently held ‘World Orphans Day’, the Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria has called for the establishment of unwanted baby departments to end the menace of baby factories and abortion
In commemoration of the ‘ World Orphans Day’ usually observed on November 11 of every year, the Association of Orphanages and Homes Operators in Nigeria (ASHON) has made a call to the federal government to establish ‘Unwanted Baby Departments’, with a view to end the menace of baby factories, and growing rate of abortions in Nigeria.
The call was made recently, during a two days program themed, ‘The World without Orphans; Challenges and Prospects; Lagos as a Case Study’, organised by ASHON in Lagos state, to commemorate the ‘2019 World Orphans Day’.
Speaking on some of the challenges faced by orphanages, and by extension orphans, the National Secretary, ASHON, Reverend Gabriel Oyedeji enumerated the scourge of baby factories, lack of effective support from the government, and lack of health insurance and scholarship to orphans as major, among other challenges.
According to him, “the biggest challenge of orphanage homes is the challenge of baby factories, because they seem to be giving us name damage, and we are out against them. We were in South-east last year to challenge it. We searched where they are, and then notified the task force committee whom we worked with, the area commander of the police and the police authority in general. Now our men are going everywhere and exposing them.
“The problem is the government working with us. If we have the trust of the government; because we are the one that can police ourselves, and we are saying that the government should give us more relational attention, so that they can use us to challenge those improper things in the society.
“This case is becoming more perpetuating, because as we are curbing them, they are relocating to another state, so we need to move round all the states in Nigeria and reinforce a process of intervention to abate the incidences ;of baby factories. But let me also say this of a fact, we need to go to the grassroots. For every problem, we see, there are three factors; the predisposing factors, the precipitating factors, and the perpetuating factor. Without tackling these
three P’s, we aren’t there.
“Some of the predisposing factors to the emergence and spread of baby factory is baby scarcity, and infertility growth. And whatever is scarce, people would look for it criminally, hence baby factories provides that criminal option. Government has to come in. They have to ensure that fertility clinics are cheap and affordable to the common man. In America and Great Britain, we have several palliative measures such as surrogacy, and legal acquisition of children.
“However, in Nigeria, we are sensational and don’t address this issue appropriately. And quite unfortunately, this same country where thousands of people are looking for children, there is a growing rate of abortion. We should be talking of adoption and not abortion.
“Federal government should also look into creating an ‘Unwanted Baby Department’, where mothers would be counseled, properly guided, helped and encouraged. So that instead of these mothers abandoning the children in the streets or aborting, they can use the option of the department, this would
reduce abortion drastically, and automatically end the scourge of baby factories. This is the only solution.
“We as a body handle 90 per cent of orphans in Nigeria; we should be involved in policy making. They should carry us along; we would tell them the facts of the matter, instead of just making enforcement without enlightenment.
“Enlightenment is better than enforcement. Enforcement wouldn’t work if there is poor enlightenment. There is poor enlightenment in Nigeria from the angle of the government, pregnant mothers, adopters, and the public, hence the escalation of crime. It is not easy to be a orphan; the burden is greater than anyone can imagine. One way government can help is by ensuring they get free education across all levels of education. And also ensure they have health insurance.
“This would not only reduce crime rate, but at the longer run improve the economy of the country, and life expectancy of orphans. As you know, orphans in Nigeria have the lowest life expectancy rate.”
Oyedeji concluded by harping on the need for the federal government to also forge a unified adoption policy, recognised all over the states. He lamented that adoption policies vary from state to state, and it affects the processes of adoption in the country, hence the need of a unified law.
On his part, the Lagos State Coordinator, ASHON, Alhaji Ganiu Olayiwole, spoke on the need for cooperate bodies, private individuals and philanthropists to support government recognised orphanage homes only.
According to him, “there are several fabricators who operate illegal homes with the sole aim of diverting assistance for personal gains. Organisations and well meaning Nigerians should ensure they confirm that a home is government recognised before making any donations to them.
“This way, we can get rid of fake orphanages whose only interest is to deny other genuine homes, help by bringing their names to disrepute. Every homes under ASHON are government recognised and we have presence in major states all over Nigeria.”