The House of Representatives has passed a bill for a second reading to criminalise the abandonment of newborn babies by parents.
If enacted, anyone convicted of abandoning newborn babies after child birth will pay a fine of N200,000 or six months imprisonment
Sponsor of the bill, Sergius Ogun, in Tuesday’s plenary, stated that the bill seeks to amend the Child Rights Act by introducing punishment.
“This bill, therefore, seeks to specifically make provision within the Child Right Act against the practice of child abandonment by parents, by introducing a new Subsection 3 into the extant Section 14 of the Act.
“Subject to the provision of this act, no child shall be abandoned at the time of place of birth, the condition of his birth notwithstanding.
“When a parent abandons a child at the place of his birth, he/she shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction shall be liable to fine [of] N200,000 or imprisonment for 6 months or both,” the proposed section reads.
Also speaking in support of the bill, Rep Nicholas Ossai said “It is the duty of parents that brings a child to the world to cater for that ward/child. The government also has a responsibility to complement the duty of parents. Every person has an obligation
The bill scaled the first reading after Idris Wade, the Deputy Speaker put it to question.
