Child abuse as a set back on nation building: a study of Ezza community in Ebonyi state, Nigeria

This paper is concerned with how child abuse can be a set back to child development and national economic development. Ezza community in Ebonyi State, Nigeria is the focus. The paper investigated the causes and effects of child abuse and how to curb the problems associated with it. Data were collected through interview and library research as well as documentaries. This paper concludes that child abuse has a debilitating effect on the psychological and emotional development of a child and efforts should be made to avoid it. It calls for good governance and a strict adherence to the cultural values of child rearing. Key Words: Child abuse, Degradation, Emotional stability, Capacity building