FCTA will audit Abuja orphanages

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said it will soon carry out audit of all orphanages operating in the territory to ascertain the level of compliance with the Child Rights Act. The Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu, stated this yesterday while reacting to suggestions that the FCTA was  going […]

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said it will soon carry out audit of all orphanages operating in the territory to ascertain the level of compliance with the Child Rights Act.

The Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu, stated this yesterday while reacting to suggestions that the FCTA was  going to outlaw the operations of orphanages in the FCT.

Shuaibu maintained that the establishment of an orphanage in a modern city like Abuja must follow the masterplan, stressing that the implementation of the Child Rights Act in the FCT was paramount and must be strictly adhered to.

“We are going to make sure that henceforth all orphanages in Abuja go through auditing to ensure that everyone conforms to the rules and regulations governing the practice of this activity to forestall problems like the demolition of Divine Wound Jesus Christ Orphanage Home, Kubwa.”

Reacting to media reports alleging that the FCTA had failed to provide succour to orphans of the orphanage in Kubwa, the acting Secretary of FCT Social Development Secretariat, Hajia Safiya Umar, said the orphanage had contravened all rules and regulations setting up an orphanage in a designated area.

Umar, who acknowledged some administrative lapses in monitoring the activities of private orphanages in Abuja, also assured residents of the preparedness of the relevant agencies to block all loopholes in the operation of an orphanage.

“The issue of Divine Wound Jesus Christ Orphanage Home came to us four days after the demolition. Before then, we had a running battle with the owner of the orphanage. Setting up an orphanage has some rules and regulations that are not only propounded by the FCTA, but by the Child Rights Act,” Umar said.