Lagos gets foster parents for crash victims’ children

Lagos State Government has concluded plans to hand over the three children that lost their parents in the Dana air crash in Iju, Ishaga, Lagos, to foster parents.

The three children-Joel Okwuchukwu (11), Chisom Okwuchukwu (9), and Esther Okwuchukwu (7), were all residents of No. 12 Olaniyi Street, a two-storey building that was hit by Dana Airline plane on penultimate Sunday. They lost their parents, Jeremiah and Josephine in the mishap.

The plight of the children attracted the attention of Lagos State Governor Babaunde Fashola and other people who visited the scene of the plane crash after they declared that they could not find their parents.

The children had said they did not know the house of any of their parents’ relatives and claimed to know just one Uncle Tony Okechukwu that lived in Abuja.

Fashola, who took the children to the Government House, had promised to give them an environment of love that would hasten their healing. The state promised to take care of the children until their relatives were located.

But sources close to the late Okwuchukwu told our correspondent on Wednesday that the state government had concluded arrangement with a couple who will act as foster parents to the children.

The source, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on behalf of either the government or the family, said, “As at two days ago when we had a meeting with the deputy governor, she told us that the children would be handed over to their new parents anytime from now.’’

According to the source, government had held a series of meetings with family members of the deceased and their pastor with a view to agreeing on the best way to rehabilitate the children. He said the younger brother of the children’s father was still young and couldn’t afford to take care of the children.

“Other family members wanted to take the children but government was more concerned about getting the children settled in a family that has the means to take very good care of them.

“But at our last meeting, the deputy governor told us that they’ve got a well-to-do family to take care of them,’’ he added.