World Orphans Day: Abuja residents urged to love, care more for Orphans

By Stanley Onyekwere

In the wake of the 2024 World Orphans Day, residents  of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are enjoined to give special attention and show kind treatments, care and love to orphans.

This charge was handed down by the Mandate Secretary of FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi.

Benjamins-Laniyi, who made this point during a visit to various Orphanage Homes in Abuja, noted that it is pertinent to give special treatment to Orphans, as they deserve to live a fulfilled life just like every other human being on earth.

On a visit to Monoliza Amusement Park at Area 11, Abuja, she said orphans are expected to be taken out to have fun just like every other child, which will help them feel that they belong to the society and have every right to live a free life without segregation.

According to her, the lives of orphans in the FCT matters a lot and they are precious to the Administration.

However, the Secretary revealed that the FCT Administration has already embarked on a holistic process of reassessing, reviewing and recertifying all Orphanage Homes in FCT, for the purpose of repositioning them for better service delivery.

“The theme for year’s World Orphans Day is ‘Orphans Lives Matter’, therefore, our message is that the lives of orphans in the 62 Wards of the 6 Area Councils of the FCT matter.

“They don’t just matter, but they matter to us in terms of policy drive to domesticate laws guiding the rights of the child”, she stated.

Also she explained that the creation of FCT Women Affairs Secretariat is an expression of an action that would reassess and review the operations of Orphanage Homes in the FCT, aimed at recertifying them to do better.

Furthermore,  Benjamins-Laniyi interfaced with orphans at the Redeemed Christian Church (RCC) in Abuja, where orphans were gathered and mentored on morality, self esteem, goals setting, integrity and to be optimistic in life irrespective of their present situation.

Checks revealed that the World Orphans Day is celebrated on 20th of April every year, to draw global attention to the plights of orphans, and to give special opportunity to high-spirited individuals and charitable organizations, to identify with orphan across the globe.