The Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, has pledged to tackle child hawking, domestic servitude and other forms of child labour if elected governor in 2027.
Odii made the pledge during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, where he identified poverty, unemployment and limited access to education as major factors pushing some families to send children away to work as house helps or engage in street trading. (Punch Newspapers)
He said his proposed administration would establish skills-acquisition centres across the state’s 13 local government areas to equip young people with practical skills and create opportunities for employment and self-employment.
According to Odii, each centre would have the capacity to accommodate about 3,000 people, giving a projected total capacity of approximately 39,000 Ebonyians.
He listed carpentry, POP installation, tailoring, animal husbandry, fishery and other vocational trades among the areas that would be covered by the proposed centres.
The PDP candidate also promised to prioritise education through scholarships and improved learning environments, arguing that children should remain in school rather than being pushed into hawking or domestic work because of economic hardship.
Odii said his administration would also focus on agriculture, healthcare, rural infrastructure and job creation as part of efforts to increase household incomes and reduce poverty.
He further proposed greater investment in mechanised farming and the development of Ebonyi’s agricultural and mineral resources, alongside policies aimed at attracting private-sector investment.
The candidate said tackling child labour should go beyond simply prohibiting the practice, stressing that government must address the economic conditions that force families to send children away for domestic work or street trading.
His pledge forms part of his broader campaign agenda for the 2027 governorship election, which includes human-capital development, employment creation and economic diversification. (blueprint.ng)