By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Abuja, May 27, 2017 (NAN) President Muhammad Buhari said on Saturday said the Federal Government was committed to ensuring the protection of children’s rights in the country.
Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Sen. Aisha Alhassan, said this at the Children’s Day celebration in Abuja.
He therefore advised stakeholders to renew their commitment, intensify partnership and collaborative effects in achieving the promotion of child rights.
The theme of this year’s Children’s Day is: “Child Protection and the Sustainable Development Goals: Issues and opportunities’’.
“Children are the greatest resources that any nation has. They are the future of families; the future of the society and the nation.
“They are also the foundation upon which the societies and nations are built,” the president said.
Buhari, however, enjoined the children to obey their parents and constituted authorities, and be law abiding.
He also advised children to take their studies seriously and shun all forms of indiscipline so as to be responsible and productive future adults for a better Nigeria.
He said the government was committed to end all forms of violence against children in the country.
The Representative of Smile project, an NGO, Dr Emeka Onoja, said violence against children should not be tolerated, saying all hands must be deck to stop the menace.
However, Onoja said the country must ensure that the Nigerian child was positioned to benefit from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Alhassan, who was represented by the Permanent Secertary of the ministry, Mrs Phylis Nwokedi, said the day was set aside by Nigerian government to honour children in accordance with UN General Assembly resolution.
The minister said the day was designed to recognise children through special events and to enable governments at both Federal and State levels to renew their unalloyed commitment to child rights.
In a sideline interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Chukwuemeka Onyinyechi from the Government Secondary School, Tudunwada, urged government to improve education standard by providing necessary teaching tools and conducive environment for learning.
Miss Esther Oluwafemi, from one of the private schools in Abuja that participated in the march pass, also urged government to support NGOs in fighting to end violence against children in country.
On his part, a parent, Dr Dolamu Jawando, called on parents and guardians to ensure their children were properly monitored and not left in the hands of maids or drivers.
Highpoints of the event was the march pass by various schools and the inauguration of End Violence Against Children Campaign in FCT.
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