Plateau Raises The Alarm Over Increased Taking Children To Orphanages

The Plateau State Government has expressed concern over the growing cases of widows taking their children to orphanages, attributing the development to the economic and social challenges confronting vulnerable women and families in the state.

The government also said the administration of Governor Caleb Mutfwang remained committed to tackling poverty, empowering women and improving the welfare of vulnerable families across the state.
The commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Caroline Panglang Dafur, represented by the director of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Maureen Daniel Dakim, raised the concern while speaking at the investiture of SM Christina Olawunmi Bawa as Chairperson of the Society of Women Accountants of Nigeria (SWAN), Jos Chapter, on Saturday.

Dafur, who spoke on the theme, “Women in Leadership: Breaking Barriers, Building Influence and Creating Impact,” urged women to deliberately empower themselves, acquire skills and build sustainable sources of livelihood to enable them to cope with difficult circumstances and provide for their families.
She discouraged widows from taking their children to orphanages because of economic hardship, saying women must be equipped with the capacity to remain self-reliant even when faced with difficult circumstances.

The commissioner said the government was concerned that children were increasingly being affected by the economic difficulties confronting families, stressing that women empowerment remained critical to preventing family disintegration.

Dafur urged professional women, particularly female accountants, to use their knowledge, experience and networks to empower other women and contribute to solving social problems in their communities.

She stressed the importance of mentorship, urging accomplished women not to keep their knowledge to themselves but deliberately train and support younger women.

According to her, women who have attained professional and leadership positions have a responsibility to transfer their knowledge and experience to younger generations.

She also urged women to collaborate and work collectively, stressing that effective leadership required accountability, partnership and commitment to service.

She added that women leaders should identify the needs of their communities and develop practical solutions to challenges affecting women, children and families.

The commissioner said the Mutfwang administration had continued to prioritise women empowerment as part of its broader efforts to reduce poverty and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable citizens.

She said the government had supported women through skills acquisition, empowerment programmes and other interventions aimed at enabling beneficiaries to become economically productive and self-reliant.

She called for stronger collaboration between government, professional bodies and other stakeholders to expand the reach of women empowerment programmes across Plateau State.

The newly inaugurated chairperson of SWAN, Jos chapter, Christina Olawunmi Bawa, pledged to promote professionalism, accountability, mentorship and greater opportunities for women in the accountancy profession.

Bawa said her administration would focus on strengthening member engagement, continuous professional development, mentorship programmes, strategic partnerships, community impact initiatives and greater visibility for SWAN within the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and beyond.

She said her assumption of office was not about status or personal recognition but an opportunity to serve and create platforms through which members, particularly younger female accountants, could grow and excel professionally.

Bawa said the accountancy profession was evolving rapidly and urged women accountants to position themselves as professionals of excellence, integrity, innovation and relevance.

Bawa promised to build a chapter where every member would feel valued, heard and empowered, while young female accountants would have access to mentors capable of inspiring them to attain greater professional heights.

She also called for greater collaboration among members, urging them to replace competition with cooperation and isolation with fellowship.

Earlier, the outgoing chairperson, Mrs Ruth Olanike Aina, said her three-year administration recorded significant growth in membership, welfare, advocacy, community service and professional visibility.

Aina disclosed that membership of the Jos Chapter increased from 25 to 43 members, with 33 members currently financial, attributing the growth to sustained efforts to attract new members, particularly from the Jos Professional Tutor Study Centre.

She further said her administration deliberately expanded SWAN’s visibility beyond professional meetings through advocacy, community service and strategic partnerships.

She expressed confidence that Bawa’s administration would build on the foundation laid by her administration, consolidate the gains and take SWAN Jos chapter to greater heights.