CHILDREN MUST BE PROTECTED – GOV SOUDO TELLS PARENTS

REPORTER: BEN ILECHUKWU

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has expressed his administration’s determination in providing a conducive learning environment for children to positively contribute to national development.

Governor Soludo stated this during the Children’s day parade at Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.

The Governor while conveying the message and address of President Muhammadu Buhari to the children, noted that security measures had been put in place to ensure that the Nigerian schools were protected from bandits and terrorists, saying that government would not relent in creating the needed platform for the Nigerian child to blossom.

Governor Soludo assured the children that their right to education, clean and safe environment as well as good health, would be guaranteed, noting that children constituted the future the nation envisages.

Earlier in a welcome address, the Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Mrs. Ify Obinabo, observed that the day served to redirect the attention of policy makers, parents and guardians to their important roles of making sure that children were not consumed by the emergency issues that effect their wellbeing and safety as future leaders .

Mrs Obinabo called for an urgent need for parents to redouble their efforts in the protection of the Nigerian child from all forms of violence occasioned by system failure.

Also, in his address of welcome, the Speaker Children’s Parliament, Obiekwe Peter Chiemerie, had urged the governor to enhance the protection of the child’s rights act especially the girl-child by providing adequate security in schools among others.

For his part, the Speaker Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr. Uche Okafor while lauding the governor on the structures put in place in ensuring that Anambra child has qualitative education noted that Anambra State government was the first state in the federation to have passed the girl child education bill into law.

Highlights of the event included cutting of cake by the Governor and traditional march past won by Central School Nibo, Ezike Primary School Nibo,
Community Primary School Okpuno, all in Awka came first ,second and third respectively in their category