…Outlines developed programs to meaningfully engaged Nigerian Children
As Nigeria joins other nations to mark the 2021 Children’s Day, with the theme “Unite to reverse the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on children” the Police Campaign Against Cultism and other Vices POCACOV felicitate with Nigerian Children and state that the theme is instructive as it calls for action against COVID-19 impact on Children, in line with POCACOV thematic action plan.
The Campaign with its core focus on Youths and Children has developed many proactive modus and schemes that enable Children to be well engaged in meaningful activities and take them off crime, cultism and substance abuse.
Children’s day is an international holiday that was first established in Nigeria in 1964. The date it is celebrated varies between different countries. The day marks a celebration of children, raising awareness for issues that affect children and helping the world appreciate that Children are the future of our societies.
At POCACOV, one of the module which is tagged “POCACOV PASSION TALK PROGRAM” as contained in the Pocacov planned program of action for school children and pupils known as “WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN FUTURE is used during POCACOV school sensitization program/Engagement to aid in the understanding of areas of interest and choice in terms of what a particular child or pupil will like to do in future.
This program is equally in line with the Nigerian Police force objectives of school visitation programme, which are:
· Create awareness among college students about the role of the Police as a government institution charged with preventing crimes and arresting criminals while protecting the lives and properties of citizens.
Sensitize them on their roles in intelligence gathering and speaking out in cases of victimization, bullying and sexual exploitations.
Educate them on the career opportunities/potentials in the Nigeria Police Force.
COVID-19/HIV awareness by the Medical Team.
Sensitize them on the achievements of the Police in ensuring their safety and the safety of their family members.
Sensitize them on the responsible use of social media.
Creating awareness on the negative impact of cultism and drug abuse.
The POCACOV School Sensitization program equally aligns with Pocacov Taekwondo kiddies program which has assumed a high dimension in Enugu state and its environs.
The catch them young sports program helps to build Children’s innate desire for sports and self defence against criminal elements and self-discipline.
Other POCACOV programs targeted at the Children include the POCACOV Chess program that helps the children learn the act of creativity and strategic approach to life.
Apart from Nigerian profile as Africa’s most populous nation, the country is also blessed with enormous talents in sports, creative arts, music, and film production and this is one of the objectives the program was designed to sustain.
These program targets to make Nigerian Children to constantly remain focus and work towards achieving their goals with passion .
They will further make them internalize the rudiments of coping skills which will also help them not to give in to any pressure which will make them look for any alternatives from the negative perspectives for instance, through joining cult groups or involvement in one vice or vices as a means of achieving set goals.
Like we all know, Taekwondo game is life and not all about fighting but it is a game that is built on the following tenets of indomitable spirit ,Discipline ,survival/coping skills ,modesty ,integrity ,perseverance ,Tolerance then self defence which is also important for the boy and girl child.
With the pace the Pocacov Taekwondo adult and kiddies classes are going ,it is our strong belief that sooner we shall be having future and committed taekwondo champions and in other areas of their endeavors .
Pocacov as a community driven program of the Nigeria police force aimed at saving Nigerian children and youths from the claws of cultism and other vices and is in strong partnership and urges all stakeholders to partner with the program to save our Children and youths
Other POCACOV programs include POCACOV Volunteer Clubs (PVC),POCACOV FAN CLUBS for safer school and community, POCACOV NYSC Community development Service (POCACOV NYSC CDS), POCACOV Traditional Rulers Consultative Forum, Pocacov Religious Leaders Consultative Forum amongst other.
As part of the POCACOV designed activities for the day, a medical Outreach is ongoing at Parklane Hospital Enugu, where YFI in partnership with POCACOV is taking care of medical Bills of children in the hospital and providing medical talks and screening by medical experts among others.
We associate ourselves with the programs designed for the 2021 Children’s day and commend this year’s theme “Unite to reverse the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on children”.
It is apt and efforts should be made to minimize the Covid-19 impacts on children, as leaders of tomorrow and the future of our nation. If the foundation is faulty, we will keep going in circles and might likely not address our present challenges, which is insecurity and cultism, which has taken a pandemic dimension.
