By Patrick Ochei
Delta State Government through the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development – the Ministry supervising the Delta State Child Rights Implementation Committee, has rewarded a woman erroneously accused of mistreating a nine year old niece living with her in Asaba, Delta State.
The woman was given financial support to aid her business as an assistance to enable her properly take care of the little girl under her custody.
The presentation was done by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Chairman of Delta State Child Rights Implementation Committee, Mrs. Oghenekevwe Agas during the December meeting of the Committee.
The idea of including the woman in the list of those to benefit from Government was discussed during the celebration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence at one of the previous meetings of the Committee where the need to not only punish offenders of child rights law but to also celebrate and present gifts to those who are making efforts to give care to vulnerable and needy children in the society.
It could be recalled that a video report of a small girl fetching water with a big iron bucket was sent to a Committee member, Barr. Awele Ideal, with a claim that the child was going through abuse and needed to be rescued.
Just immediately, Barr. Awele in collaboration with a field colleague, Comrade Patrick Ochei swung into action to unravel the mystery behind the report.
The investigation revealed that the girl was not doing what was reported as a matter of child abuse, but she chose that part just to make her portion of the domestic work easier after she had broken the small rubber bucket assigned to her for fetching of water.
Further investigation revealed that the struggling guardian and her petty trading husband had even made efforts to put the little girl in the same school with their own children while they also eat, bath and sleep together as one family.
Meanwhile, it was after the thorough investigation was reported by the Committee members that the Chairman of the Committee, Mrs. Agas decided that such a woman should be supported in her business no matter how small, to enable her continue to do her best for her immediate family and the little uncle’s daughter she is helping to take care of.
Of course the little girl then confirmed to the investigators how good the mother had been (as she fondly calls her), and even refused to be taken back home when the proposal was put before her.
