The member Representing Ezeagu/Udi Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Rt. Hon. Barr. Sunday Cyriacus Umeha, has emphasized the need to protect children during their very impressionable ages from contents which have the potential of negatively shaping their socio-cultural make-up.
Hon. Umeha made the call on Tuesday, March 5th, 2024 at the Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Justice on ‘A Bill for an Act to provide for enactment of Child Online Access to Protection Bill, 2023 and other issues of online violence against Nigerian child and other related matters.’
In his contribution during the event, the Lawmaker bemoaned the spate of offensive and life-damaging contents that have become the hallmark of life on the internet and which are being spread like harmattan fire across all social media and made a case for a form of regulation that will keep it in check, particularly as it concerns children and young people.
The Public Hearing which was at the instance of the Speaker of the House, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Tajudeen Abbas, was hosted by the Chairman of the House Committee on Justice, Rt. Hon. Olumide Babatunde Osoba.
The event was targeted at aggregating critical views on the proposed bill seeking to guarantee more online safety for children in today’s highly explosive information high-way by regulating online activities/materials to protect children and young people from online hazards and other related toxic contents online.
The Chairman of the Committee on Justice, thanked all the stakeholders and participants at the session for their commitment and contribution and expressed the optimism that when the Bill is passed into law, it would help to engender a better and safer online community for children and young people.
The event was attended by strategic stakeholders in the telecommunications and welfare of the child sectors such as Ministry Of Justice, UNICEF, Nigerian Communications Commission, MTN, GLO, etc
