Mr Sola Olominu, the Chairman of Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti, has warned parents to desist from maltreating and engaging their children in illicit businesses.
Olominu gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikole-Ekiti on Thursday.
Our correspondent reports that the theme of 2021 Celebration is “Unite to Reverse the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic in Children”.
He described that children as gift of God and they should always be given proper care and treatment.
He said that he was always sad whenever he saw children of eight, nine and 10 years old hawking in streets, when their parents ought to have sent them to school.
The chairman warned parents to desist from using their children to hawk on the highways, saying “it is dangerous because they could be hit by vehicles’’.
“I want to sincerely warn parents who are fond of engaging their children in illicit businesses and trading to desist from such act.
“My administration and the state government forbid the use of children to hawk vegetables, tomatoes, other food stuffs on the roads when they ought to be studying in their various schools.
“Any child found hawking on the roads will be taken and parents of such child will be sanctioned,’’ he cautioned.
He further warned that children should not be seen selling any item by the road side when they were meant to stay at home and rest.
“God forbid, if such child was accidentally hit by a vehicle won’t such parents blame themselves? We do not want our children to become slaves to their mates, let parents take good care of their children.
“Today was set aside to celebrate our children, let all parent celebrate their children, make them happy and feel special,’’ he said.
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