The Chairman of the Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission, EARCOM, Akwa Ibom state, Dr Dorothy Thompson has called on the general public to rise up and fight the growing incidence of child theft in the Society amongst other social vices.
Dr Thompson made the call when the Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Social Reorientation, Mr Ekpeno Gold paid a courtesy call to her office in Uyo.
Dr Thompson while receiving the Governor’s Aide, briefed him on the operations of the Commission, which she highlighted to include campaign tours of the ten Federal Constituencies in the State to sensitize secondary school student leaders and schools’ managements on the quest for raising socially responsible citizens.
Those workshops which she stressed reached a considerable number of students selected from various schools in all Federal Constituencies addressed the dangers of indulging in social vices such as cultism, drug abuse, violence, rape and other forms of sexual pervasion, gangsterism, thuggery, electoral and examination malpractices, truancy, prostitution among others.
She further intimated the Governor’s Aide that, EARCOM has engaged Village Youth Presidents, Traditional Rulers, Civil Servants, members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, foreign NGO’s and Churches in furtherance of her Social Responsibility mass campaigns with a major seminar on peaceful conduct of the 2019 General elections and subsequent ones.
Dr Thompson added that, EARCOM has in place, a pool of Ambassadors among students, traditional rulers, celebrities and illustrious citizens who are role models for future generations.
Dr Thompson said EARCOM have consistently complemented the campaign of the First Lady and Chairperson of the Family Empowerment and Youth Reorientation initiative Programme, FEYReP especially in her campaign for Child Rights, the Girl Child and fight against rape.
She also observed that, the growing cases of child theft has become worrisome and disclosed that, the Commission is embarking on intensive mobilization of religious leaders and organizations, civil society groups and non governmental organizations, the traditional institutions and schools as well as parents and security organizations to be on the alert, not only to create awareness of the disturbing trend of child theft but how to prevent it and track down perpetrators of the evil act.
She thanked Governor Udom Emmanuel for his steadfast support for EARCOM and congratulated Mr Gold on his appointment and assured him that the Commission will welcome his contributions in the drive to achieve the goals of mass reorientation and public education.