By Sule Aliyu Bauçhi
As party of efforts to ensure the safety of children during the forthcoming Eide El fitri celebration, a Bauchi state based charity organisation ‘Wunti Al-khair Foundation’ with Jamatul Nasrul Islam (JNI) has trained 120 members of islamic aid groups on techniques of search and rescue likely missing children.
Krestnews reports that cases of children missing were being recorded every year during Sallah celebrations and parents had to go to Radio and Television stations to to place announcements in respect of their missing wards.
Such children, usually get lost at Eid ground as a result of too much crowd after observing eid prayers, and address the challenge, the Wunti Foundation decided to put together the training programme on ways to safe guard children.
Representative of the foundation Alh.Abdulrazak Wunti pledged that the foundation would provide all necessary supports in addition to the training to the members of the islamic aid groups with a view to ensuring hitch-free eid.
He said the vehicles shall be provided at all main eid grounds in the metropolis including the Bauchi central Eid Mosque, Gwallaga Mosque, Kasuwar Shanu Mosque and Stadium where the found children will be evacuated to a designated area at the Bauchi central Mosque for parents to come and take them.
He added that Hotlines will be provided for parents to call and recover their missing children from the trained aid groups.
Aside from the Eid grounds, he said the vehicles shall also be provided at strategic places in the metropolis to carry children that are likely to miss their ways and convey them to the main office of the aid group centre at the Bauchi central Mosque.
He therefore asked parents to contact the aid groups at the centre should they miss their children recover their missing children.
The Chairman Joint Islamic Aid Groups in the State Alhaji Ibrahim Sani, noted that the objective of the training is to provide a conducive atmosphere and hitch free Sallah celebrations across the state.
Participants at the training workshop
Sani said the training was to provide participants with basic and technical skills on search and rescue of missing children, crowd and traffic management.
“Emergency response, public enlightenment as well as risk communication ahead of Eid El fitr Sallah celebrations,” he said
With the theme “Safeguarding and salvaging our children, minors and ensuring hitch free Sallah celebrations,”
According to him, the 120 participants were drawn from all Islamic groups across the 20 local government areas as training of trainers (ToT) for stepping down to the members. Adding that out of the 120 participants 15 are females.
He appreciated the foundation for the initiative, stressing that the gesture would further complement the effort of the state government in ensuring a successful Sallah Celebrations.
“The foundation is concerned with the safety of worshipers before, during and after the Sallah hence the need for the training.
He urged the participants to use the knowledge acquired in a manner that would impact positively to the well-being of the people of the state.
A participant, Malam Mukthar Abdulhamid assures of readiness to make good use of the knowledge and also step it down to other members.