AUTHORITIES URGE SUPPORT SYSTEMS TO PREVENT CHILD ABANDONMENT

The photo of the abandoned baby discovered by residents and Ediofe trading center committee chairperson.

By Onzoma Albert

Arua City

Authorities and community leaders in West Nile region are urging parents not to abandon their children. Last week, police in rescued a two-day-old baby boy found abandoned in a eucalyptus plantation near River Enyau in Arua City.

The baby was wrapped in a clean cloth and discovered by local residents and the Chairperson of Ediofe Trading Centre Committee. Emergency medical attention was provided at Arua Regional Referral Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for the baby.

SSP Josephine Angucia, police public relations officer for West Nile, emphasized that child abandonment is a criminal offense and warned parents and young mothers against such inhumane acts.

“It should be noted that abandoning a child is a crime the suspect can be charged with child desertion, we urge community members especially parents to leave more responsible life and avoid abandoning, deserting and neglecting their children as these are criminal offences for which parents and guidance can be arrested and persecuted” she said.

Michael Baiga, the Chairperson of Ediofe Trading Center Committee, encouraged parents experiencing domestic disputes, poverty, or unwanted pregnancies to seek help from family and child protection authorities rather than abandoning infants.

“My advice to parents is that when you are not prepared for anything please don’t do it, since you have brought life on earth it needs responsibility which is not a joke” he said.

Sharon, a resident of Ediofe, urged mothers and young girls to access available legal and emotional resources to protect themselves and their children, instead of resorting to abandonment.

“What I can say to mothers and young girls is that they should not abandon babies anyhow because you cannot keep a baby in your stomach for nine good months and you end up abandoning the baby” she said.

Police have since opened an inquiry and are appealing for information about the mother’s identity and the circumstances of the abandonment. Child abandonment often occurs among mothers or young girls facing overwhelming challenges such as extreme poverty, domestic abuse, or lack of social support. Community leaders and law enforcement officers stress the importance of seeking help through available resources to protect vulnerable children and prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future.