The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, has issued a stern warning to Nigerians against the use of underage housemaids.
The agency’s Director of Legal and Prosecution, Hassan Tahir, who gave the warning while speaking with newsmen on Monday in Abuja, said such practice is an offense before the law.
He gave the advice on the backdrop of employers of domestic workers, who sometimes have challenges with their employees, to the extent of inflicting injuries on them.
According to him, Section 23 of the Trafficking in Persons Act, TIP, condemns the employment of a child as a domestic worker, saying such is an offense before the law.
Tahir quoted Section 23 of the TIP Act as saying “any person who willfully employs, requests, recruits, transports, harbours, receives or hires out a child as a domestic worker commits an offence and is liable to conviction of imprisonment for a minimum term of 6 months, and not exceeding 7 years”.
He, however, advised that if anyone was willing to have a house help, they must ensure that such was treated fairly.
The director said the house help must sleep in the same room and attend the same school as the kids of the master.
“The domestic worker must attend the same school with your children, eat the same food with your children, wear the same cloth with your children, he or she must be treated equally with your children.
“There could be a situation whereby you employ a child and at the same time inflict injury on him or her, if you want to violate their right, please don’t do that, and if certainly you do, NAPTIP will do the needful,’’ he said.
