Plans are underway in Lagos State to establish a training institute to register and train care givers in the state, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Lola Akande, has said.

Akande made the disclosure while receiving the management staff of the Office of Public Defender (OPD) during a courtesy visit to her office. She said the institute, when established, would help to curtail child abuse by untrained care givers and also afford the government the opportunity to develop a data base of care givers operating in the state for proper monitoring.

“It is hoped that when established issues of child kidnapping by illegal nannies will be reduced while Lagosians will also have access to data which can be used as a guide to choose the right care giver,” she said.

While commending OPD for defending the right of the indigents and fostering a good working relationship with the Ministry, Akande urged them to create more awareness/advocacy on the services of OPD.

She noted that many people, particularly the poor, are suffering in silence because they are unaware of the free services of OPD.

The Commissioner urged the visitors to take advantage of WAPA’s “Whatapps Interactive Forum”, tagged “WAPA Alert”, and urged them to come on board to contribute meaningfully to issues of women and children.

Earlier, the leader of the Team and Director, Office of Public Defender, Mrs. Rotimi, disclosed that the primary objective of their visit was to find ways of improving the working relationship between WAPA and OPD since the two institutions are stakeholders in women and children issues.

She stated that OPD is out to defend the poor and vulnerable in the State irrespective of sex or status with the belief that everyone is should have access to justice.

Rotimi said that in 2015, WAPA referred over 65 cases to OPD just as the Ministry had been referring cases to Women Affairs Ministry particularly those that bothers on child custody.

•Photo shows Lagos Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Lola Akande.

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