Posted by Lagos StateThe Lagos State Government said Wednesday that 1,115 individuals applied to adopt a child in the past year.
Additionally, 172 infants from across the state who had been rescued were approved for adoption during the time period under consideration.
At the 2024 ministerial press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, convened to commemorate the 1 year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office, Bolaji Ogunlende, the commissioner for youths, sports, and social development, made the statement.
As per Ogunlende, 753 homeless, poor, and mentally challenged individuals were rehabilitated by the state government from April 2023 to March 2024.
“Over the course of the analyzed period, a grand total of 1,115 applications were received, with 995 being submitted for local adoption, 54 for international adoption, 28 for relative adoption, and 38 for revalidation of approvals,” he stated.A total of 332 applications were approved by two adoption panels that met during the period being reviewed.
Thirty-eight kids were given the green light to spend time with potential adoptive families. According to the Child’s Rights Law of Lagos State 2015, 36 were for adoption within the state, and one was for adoption outside.
“The ministry is working closely with the House of Assembly, through the Committee on Youths, Sports and Social Development, to tighten up laws prohibiting begging so as to ensure that punishments and penalties based on extant laws serve the purpose of deterrent,” Ogunlende said, addressing the problematic practice of begging in the state.
The state’s Rehabilitation and Vocational training centers in Ajah and Isheri reportedly accepted 90 males and 35 females who were abusing drugs and other addictive substances.
The commissioner went on to say that 38,564 people benefited from basic life skills training, 40, 922 from life planning counseling, 5,051 from leadership and advocacy skills, and 5, 044 from livelihood skills.
Placement and Children Not Enrolled in School