The Ondo State Government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, has condemned the growing cases of baby abandonment in the state, calling on women and young girls to embrace family planning as a way of preventing unwanted pregnancies and protecting vulnerable children.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Seun Bosede Osamaye, made this known after a baby girl was rescued from a forest in Oboto community, Ondo East Local Government Area, by hunters and a local rescue team around 1:00 a.m.
According to her, a local hunter immediately took the baby to a government health facility where she was given medical attention. The Director of Child, Mr Tofas Mefun, was also notified to formally document the case.
Dr. Osamaye described the incident as heartbreaking, saying no child deserves to be left alone in such a dangerous condition.
She stressed that every child deserves care, love, and protection, adding that abandoning a baby exposes the child to avoidable danger, trauma, and even death.
The Commissioner appealed to parents and guardians to take responsibility for their children and, where they are overwhelmed, to seek help from government social welfare offices instead of abandoning them.
She also emphasized that family planning remains a practical and safe option for preventing unwanted pregnancies and reducing the pressure that leads to child neglect.
“Family planning is available and free in our hospitals. It helps families plan better and avoid situations like this,” she said.
She urged young people and couples to make use of available counselling and reproductive health services to build more stable families.
Osamaye reaffirmed the commitment of the Ondo State Government under Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to the protection and welfare of vulnerable children.
She added that the rescued baby would be given full medical care and proper welfare support through relevant government institutions.
She also noted that Governor Aiyedatiwa and his wife, Mrs Esther Aiyedatiwa, had assured that the child would not be abandoned again and would be properly cared for.
Describing the act of abandoning a newborn as cruel and unacceptable, she warned that the government would not hesitate to take action against anyone involved.
“We keep advising our girls and women to avoid unwanted pregnancies. If you are sexually active and not ready for a child, please go for family planning. It is free in our hospitals,” she said.
“Giving birth and abandoning a baby is deeply painful and unacceptable. We will not take such cases lightly,” she added.
She further encouraged women facing challenges in caring for children to reach out for help rather than abandon them.
“There are government facilities and NGOs ready to support. No woman should feel she has no option,” she said.
Osamaye commended the hunters and health workers who rescued the baby, noting that the child was found at night already exposed to insect bites and could have suffered worse if help had come late.
“Anything could have happened. We are grateful she was found in time,” she said.
She assured that the Ministry had already begun steps to ensure the child receives proper care and long-term protection.
The Commissioner also praised the Permanent Secretary, Mr Kayode Kolawole, and the Director of Child Services, Mr Tofas Mefun, for their quick response and dedication to child welfare in the state.
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