The Kwara State government in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Friday empowered 34 children who have been in borstal centres for different alleged crimes.
At an event held in Ilorin, tools and kits for electrical works, events planning, fashion designing, bricklaying, tailoring, metal works (welding), I.T. (Computer set), aluminum works, vulcanizing, wiring, clothes weaving (Aso Oke), photography, solar installation, amongst other, were distributed to the children.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said that the empowerment programme was for the second batch of ex-convicts released from Borstal Training Institution, Ganmo in Ifelodun local government area of the state between April 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023.
The governor who spoke through the Commissioner for Special Duties, Hon. John Bello, said, “A total of 103 adolescents who had been convicted of theft and rape were released. Out of them, 65 were assessed while 30 were empowered.
“Today, the UNICEF is empowering additional 34 ex-convicts in 18 different skills. This is to reintegrate them back to society”, the governor added.
In her remarks, the Commissioner for Social Development, Mrs. Abosede Buraimoh, admonished the empowered children to put to good use the equipment given to them.
She stressed that the kits should not be sold but used to better their lives and the society.
Representative of the UNICEF, Dr Wilfred Mamman, who appreciated the role played by the state government in re-integrating the children back to the society, charged the children to be brave, bold and unbroken as the future holds more prospects for them despite being “detained for committing no offence”.
Mamman noted that the Kwara Child’s Right Law empowers children to be treated differently.
AbdulRafui Olamilekan Samaudeen, who spoke on behalf of the children, thanked the Kwara State government and UNICEF for the empowerment, and pledged to put to good use the skills and kits given to lead meaningful lives.
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