Gombe govt restates commitment to girl-child education, children’s rights protection- commissioner
The Gombe state Government, on Tuesday, restated its commitment to improving girl-child education and the protection of the rights of children in the state.
Mrs Naomi JJ Awak, commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development stated this in Gombe during a stakeholders’ meeting sponsored by US-based Girls Strand Catalyst in collaboration with Save the Children International (SCI).
The meeting is to strengthen the implementation of strategy on ending child marriage in the state.
Awak stated that the education of children had been prioritized by the present administration of Gov Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state.
She stated that efforts were being put in place to ensure girls and boys go to school to realise their potentials towards contributing to the development of the state and country when they grow up.
She noted that part of the efforts was mopping up children from the street and enrolling them back to school to enhance their chances of getting education.
According to her, Gov Yahaya has always accorded issues of children’s rights with “utmost seriousness” because he believes that education is the bedrock of their development.
“Part of that serious is the political will with which the Gov Yahaya has approached the issue of Child’s Rights Act domestication in the state.
“The bill has lingered for so long but when the governor was approached with the bill, he sent it as an Executive Bill to the state house of assembly and soon we will see the bill domesticated.”
She commended SCI, the media and other stakeholders for strengthening advocacy towards the protection of the welfare of children in the state.
Also, Mr Effiong Akpan, SCI’s Interim Project Manager Towards Ending Child Marriage in Nigeria (TECM) Project said Gombe state plan to end child marriage by 2030 was a giant effort towards curtailing the challenge.
“The successful elimination of child marriage requires multi-sectoral and coordinated approach and legislation that will be strongly enforced without fear or favour.”
He stated that child marriage was one of the developmental challenges affecting children in Gombe state.
According to him, prevention of child marriage in Gombe, remains a significant social, economic and health problem.
He called on stakeholders in the state to help strengthen advocacy that would ensure the protection of rights of children and their wellbeing.
Mrs Grace Samuel, the Chief Executive Officer of Kishimi Shelter and Care Foundation said there was work to be done to ensure that the Child’s Rights Act was domesticated in Gombe state.
Samuel stated that stakeholders in the state was anxious on what the state government would do to ensure the speedy passage of the act in the state.
She called for more awareness for parents and communities to understand the place of education in the lives of their children, adding that “education was key to the protection of the wellbeing of children.”
According to her, there is no reason for a girl or boy to drop out of school, adding that when girls are educated, the influence of such education on their children is ‘impressive.’
Our correspondent reports that religious leaders, civil society organisations and other community-based organisations as well as the media were in attendance.
