The Education Department of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State on Sunday vowed to rescue under-age girls on menial jobs or prostitution in hotels.

Mrs Abimbola Whenayon, the Head of Department of Education in the LCDA, gave the promise in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

She said that officers of the department would begin the rescue and rehabilitation exercise in April.

The officer said many under-age girls had been lured into menial jobs in hotels or as sex workers by their relatives who brought them to the state under the pretext of better life.

She said that the girls would be reunited with their parents and subsequently enrolled in schools to become better citizens.

She said many under-age girls were deceived and brought to Lagos by close relatives with the promise that they would be enrolled in schools or work.

“When I was in Surulere Local Government, we rescued some girls, rehabilitated and enrolled them in schools.

“I am new in this LCDA, but by April, after the holiday, I will start going into it fully to rescue the girls who are being exploited.

“We will get a place for them, rehabilitate them, send them to school and even seek partnership with private organisations to train those who are not interested in school

“We will train them in vocational skills that will make them very responsible citizens instead of becoming sex workers or bar girls.

“After a while, we will link up with their parents or family anywhere in the country so that we can reunite them.

“If I get government’s support, it will be a success because when I was in Surulere Local Government, I was supported and we helped a lot of under-age girls.”

Whenayon also reiterated the council’s commitment to educate illiterate adults in the area through the adult literacy programme.

According to her, this is in line with the directive of the Federal Government.

She said that about 80 adult students were currently receiving classes in 25 different centres in the area.

“We are teaching market men and women, commercial bus drivers, meat sellers, pepper sellers and bus conductors on how to read and write.

“The turnout is good as many of them do not know how to spell their names or calculate their money before.

“But through the adult education, many of them now understand basic calculations.

“Many of them have been defrauded by their children or relatives because they missed out of the opportunity to go to school in the past.

“Some of our students in the adult education class are now in the Nigeria Teachers Institute and others will write the General Certificate of Examination (GCE) conducted by WAEC.” (NAN)

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