₦airaland Forum

glossy6:
Did you see sub section 1 (a)? Most times it is kids from extended family that plays that role.

Now don't judge me. The law knows that our niece's and nephews and even younger cousins can assist us. We are reading the law "as is".

If there is any other interpretation to the aforementioned sub sections, please enlighten us.

Eketem:
foregoing laws. The relevant provisions are found in Sections, 28, 29 and 30. Under Section 28(1), no child shall: (a) Be subjected to any forced or exploitative labour he shall not be employed to work in any capacity except where he is employed by a member of his family on light work of an agricultural, horticultural or domestic character4 He shall also not be required in any case to lift, carry or move anything so heavy as to likely to adversely affect his physical, mental, spiritual or social development5 Moreover, it is unlawful under the Act to employ a child as a domestic help outside his own home or family environment6. The prohibition extends to not allowing a child to work in an industrial undertaking7 or be used for the purpose of begging for alms, guiding beggars, prostitution and domestic or sexual labour8. No child shall be used as a slave or for practice similar to slavery such as debt bondage, serfdom or forced or compulsory labour of any kind.9 Consequently, children are not to be found hawkon main city streets, brothels or highways10 1 These include street trading, domestic servitude etc. 2 Cap L1, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 3 The Act was enacted in 2003. 4 Section 28 (1)(b). 5 Section 28(1)(c). 6 Section 28 (1) (d). 7 Section 30 (2) 8 Section 30 (2) (a) 9 Section 30 (2) (b) 10 Sec 30 (2) (c

Eketem:
ThYour child can do chores at your home but she cannot be engaged to do so by a third party for commercial purposes this is because a child cannot enter a legally binding contract with you to work for you and seek favorable terms and conditions of employment.

The law is there to protect the best interest of the child because even though you say you are fair to the child not everyone who engages these kids are fair to them and sadly the unfair population are in majority.

Besides a child is not psychologically mature enough to leave their own home and go and take care of another persons home and be deprived of love, empathy and the allowance to make mistakes, play and grow like children should do.

I am tired, the law may be slow but it will soon catch up with defaulters

cococandy:
You guys should stop beating about the bush and hire adults next time.
Whether you treat them well or not is not the issue. Child labor is wrong.
if those kids had a choice they'd want to be full time in school not looking after someone else's kids for money. That their parents gave them out doesn't mean in their minds they wouldn't want something else just that. They just follow what the parents say.

cococandy:
It can't get much clearer than this.

glossy6:
Please refer to sub section 1a and S5. Now don't judge me. The law knows that our niece's and nephews and even younger cousins can assist us, hence that provision.
If there are other interpretations, do let us know.
See also S 7,9 & 10 and interpret. Lawyers in the house over to you.
It is getting more interesting.

glossy6:
That is what am saying, if my kids do the chores, it's not child labour but if she does it in another person's house it is child labour.. If she does it in their house it is normal but in another person's house then it's child labour. Well taken and understood.

glossy6:
I concur. Am also pointing out aspects of the law that said a child must not hawk, be used in alms etc. The law does not isolate issues entirely but considered in full.

glossy6:
We can officially close the thread now. It has been an interesting one although some posts were misunderstood.

No child deserves to be taken away from the parents in all fairness.

Onegai:
Yes, that is exactly the truth.

There is a difference and it is child labour because YOU ARE NOT HER MOTHER. I'm not shouting at you, I'm trying to emphasise a point.

Your 12 year old helper is lying to you because she does not have the same. relationship you have with your kids, with you. She's not your kid. She has more to lose with you. She can work like Jacky under her parent's roof because there are no conditions attached to it; if she breaks a plate, there is fear of a beating but not fear of being deprived schooling and an education (which is what will happen if and when. you get tired of what she does that annoys you).

She's not your kid and no matter how much you cut it, she's nevr gonna be your kid and you cannot compare that to when you stayed in your brother's house. I stayed with my first cousins and I slept with one eye open, cautious and afraid because my every move elicited a response. Because they were strangers to me. Your child freely watches tv and thinks that she has time to do her chores. She's worried that if you catch her, she'll get yelled at, punished but at least she is guaranteed schooling till 24 years old. Your maid dare not watch tv because she's worried when. you catch her, you will bring up homework. and. chores. and. in your eyes will be a look that says "I will. destabilise you and send you home if. you keep. messing up".

Unless. you can confidently put up a picture where we all. cannot tell the difference between your maid and your daughter, then it will. always be Child Labour.

There was a. time. in our. society where you took. a child in and trained them. But that child was from your village. and the burden of work was. shared by different wives and. kids (not like now, where our families are. isolated). That time has passed.

If you really wanna help that child, send her. home and. hire. her mother. Her mum's wages will help train her and she can go to one uncle or aunts house. and feel a. bit more. free than. a. stranger's home. Just like you or some other poster did and turned out wonderfully.

Kimoni:
I don't quite agree with the emboldened though. Some kids deserve to be taken away from their parents for varying reasons and that's why we have foster homes and legalized adoption process globally.

Reasons could be poverty, mental and health issues, abuses, instability in homes or cases where mothers willingly give up their children for adoption for no particular reason.

It's all about where a child will get the best care and it doesn't necessarily have to be with the parents.

Eketem:
I asked you pages ago how much you are willing to pay for a professional nanny you didn't respond instead you are looking for loopholes in the child's right law to exploit

Eketem:
I asked you pages ago how much you are willing to pay for a professional nanny you didn't respond instead you are looking for loopholes in the child's right law to exploit

Eketem:
I asked you pages ago how much you are willing to pay for a professional nanny you didn't respond instead you are looking for loopholes in the child's right law to exploit

Asapcymg:
Am 23 in need of. House job

glossy6:
Lol. Far from that as she is home bound after this term. My colleague pays her nanny N20k and that is fair to me. Another pays her maid 15k, that is o.k. too. I didn't answer because I want to stay with my kids from now on. We can do the chores together. No big deal.

Laws have loopholes that is why lawyers exploit them. Everything is not sacrosanct. I was only telling you that biological parents are guilty too is you will agree with me.

glossy6:
Mental issues, yes but not poverty. A thousand eyes cannot equal a mother's pair of eyes. Some parents will give their child to stay with not because they are poor but may want the child to grow in a different environment. My girl's parents are not in anyway poor. That is why returning her this Xmas is not an issue to me but she has to complete this term. Nothing can be fairer than that.

babygirlfl:
If everybody had the number of kids they could take care of, they would not give their child away to be a help as a job to someone.

Eketem:
Okay to the amount.

Yes the parents are 70% responsible then those who take advantage of the kids 30% responsible. Why produce kids you can't care for then those who will look at a helpless child and decide to use that helplessness to their advantage.

In all this it is the child that suffers because no one has the best interest of the child at heart because all of them are using the child for their selfish needs

Rukemi291:
What of a situation that death claims d breadwinner? Is it still the parents' fault?

Rukemi291:
What of a situation that death claims d breadwinner? Is it still the parents' fault?

Rukemi291:
I kind of enjoyed reading through.

Anytime I read a parent saying 'my 9year old, my 12 year old' Chai, I get so envious, like I should just fast forward to the time.

God bless those that shared wonderful personal experiences. God bless our kids more.

Rukemi291:
I work with a very wonderful organization and as my job demands, one of my very crucial academic meetings is always held outside Nigeria.

I am also married with a 1yr 11 month old son and pregnant (few weeks gone).... My husband works and lives in a town that is 4hours away from Lagos where I work.

The need for a house help arose when morning sickness started. So I told a lot of people in the office that I needed a girl. Luckily one of the staff told me she could help me send down her half sister who is 15years old and her mum can no longer carter for because they are poor. She said she's also with the girl's elder sister.

I spoke with the girl's mum, she was so excited and prayed for me and all she requested was for her girl to go to school. I promised her that the girl would go to school. The girl was brought to me on 19th October.

So I went in search of a school and I was lucky she was admited into a Lagos State Government School that is close by. The principal said that it was late actually but she doesn't want the girl to be idle at home, so she could resume immediately but her academic session would be from January. I paid all d fees and got her two sets of uniform. She started school early this month.

My son has also started school, so she drops him in school and picks him up when she's back too.

Fast forward to this time, d official assignment that would take me away from the country was close. I couldn't risk leaving her in Lagos with my super active toddler for almost two weeks that I would be away. I had to take them to my husband.

Early on Thursday, 19th, I received a call that my girl had left home with her belongings and she left a note that she was angry with me that I did not let her go to school and that if not that she loved my son ehn.....

My husband's job is a shift- based job and he was on night duty to be back home by 8am the morning she left.

A neighbour called my husband who was at work that the girl took my son to them very early in d morning that we sent her on an errand and that they should borrow her N500. They took my son from her and told her to wait for my husband to return. They said they did not know when she left.

The girl scattered the whole house took all the pieces of meat in d pot, the juice packs at home. I Knew she wouldn't get money, my husband isn't as careless.

My husband spoke with her mum that didn't sound surprised and all she said was that she would scold her when the girl comes home. Yes, d girl is home now.

I was devastated and destabilized for two days. I never ever maltreated this girl. My conscience is as clear as a gallon of distilled water.

Well, my son is now with my mum.

My mum also spoke with her mum that the girl said neighbors were calling her omo-odo (house girl). She left the 6th day she got there. We stay in a compound of 5 flats where everyone minds his business. So who called her a house-girl.

I think the mistake we made was that we got her a phone and even loaded the phone. My husband said he noticed she was always calling someone and he once heard her telling the receiver the address of where she was.

I really wish to visit her mum when I return and I hope to see her and ask her questions.

I really appreciate my family for staying with me throughout this period and I'm glad I'm not hypertensive maybe I'd have lost this pregnancy. And I thank God most that she didn't hurt my son because I never hurt her.

Well, it's all good. Life goes on.

I am not trying to discourage people from getting house helps....

glossy6:
That is always the problem, neighbors and external influences always drumming it into their heads that they are being maltreated and overworked.


It all depend on the angle we look at things. I don't see myself preparing my younger kids for school or church if my 12y and 14 yrs daughters are around but I don't trust my helper to do that because she has a different orientation though a month older than my 12yrs old daughter.

I expect my 12yrs old daughter to clean the dishes and sweep. Kini big deal but send the little girl with you and people will scream blue murder.

I used to wake up my 12yrs old daughter to prepare her younger ones for school & she was resisting. I was surprised to see her set alarm when my 14yrs went to school before her. But sending my helper will bring issues here.

My former helper used to wash clothes but I can't send my little helper to do that but limited her to sweeping and cleaning the dishes and she finds them challenging.

I Went to visit my younger brother and family the other day, I met him cooking as well as feeding his son. The wife was away and the maid was washing. My aburo will wash beans for moi moi within 30mins & it's not a big deal for him. If you see him carrying a baby on his back, you will marvel.

Those are things we learnt growing up with our elder brother and neighbours told us we were being maltreated

Train up a child the way he should go and when he grows up.. ....

gabinogem:
House help are always not helpful. They even add more stress to the already stressful life at home... that's why I always advice folks to engage in family planning. If ur home was well planned, such a situation wouldn't have occurred. Good spacing is healthy for breeding.

Acidosis:
The F.G needs to do something fast about under age nannies & career centred couples.


If you know you cannot manage your career and your family, then don't even think about getting married.


I think the institution called marriage should be the sole right of couples who are willing to give their offsprings adequate attention.

Marriage is not a must, you should have stayed SINGLE. There is no dignity in avoidable stress.

Nigeria needs to quickly utilize the Saudi Arabia strategy. Married women should be banned from taking on difficult and time consuming jobs. For those who want the stress, they should stay off marriage.

I don't know why I hate young couples who live apart. I see them as desperate folks whose interests lie on WEDDING RING & MONEY.

ATLgal:
You speak out of your yansh. Men should stay home and take care of the kids. As if women are not economically disadvantaged enough with all the sacrifices. So later down the line the husband can be an ass and leave her with no safety net.
You can run your household how you deem fit. Infact move to Saudi as na your heaven but please STFU about women and what is right for them. You rancid sac of goat sperm.

ITbomb:
No need to go, she said she's pregnant