Reps Propose Law To Jail Parents Who Abandon Babies

Reps Propose Law To Jail Parents Who Abandon Babies

The House of Representatives has passed a bill for second reading that proposes a six-month prison sentence for parents who abandon their newborns or growing children.

The bill is titled “Act to Re-amend the Child Rights Act, Cap. C50, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004.” Sergius Ogun, the federal member representing Esan North East/Esan South East, is the sponsor (Edo, PDP).

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Presenting the bill at the plenary on Tuesday, the sponsor stated that, “This bill seeks to make provision within the child’s right act against the practice of child abandonment by parents by introducing a new sub-section 3 into the extant section 14 of the Act. The provision goes thus; ‘No child shall be abandoned at the time or place of birth, the conditions of his birth notwithstanding.”

“Parents that abandon a child at the time of his birth shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction shall be liable to fine of N200,000 or six months imprisonment or both.”

Contributing, member representing Ndokwa East/Ndokwa West/Ukwuani federal constituency of Delta State, Ossai Nicholas Ossai, said the government had a duty to also complement the duty of parents.

“We have social security in the USA whereby if you are not working and you are not able to take care of your child, social security is there.”

The proposed bill, according to Deputy Speaker Ahmed Wase, was clear on what it sought to amend.

The bill has been referred to the Women’s Affairs Committee for further legislative work.

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