The Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has restated administration’s commitment to prioritizing the rights, welfare, education, security, and safety of children in the state.
The assurances were contained in a press statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Mainstream Media, Dan Nwomeh, on Monday in Enugu, marking the 2024 Children’s Day.
According to the statement, "the governor is especially focused on protecting the rights of every child and making sure children of school age have access to high quality basic education, which will inspire them to express their creativity in science, technology, art, and music, and make their voices heard in the society.
“Children are an essential part of our society. Without them, there will not be transition to a greater tomorrow. They mirror the outlook of our future, and the tomorrow we want to bequeath to them. We are, therefore, committed to ensuring that their rights, which are fundamental to my administration, are protected.
“Our administration has made it a point of duty to commit to the education, welfare, safety and rights of our children. This is why we are committing over 33% of this fiscal year's budgetary allocation to their education and wellbeing. The 260 smart green schools we are building across the 260 wards in the state are part of the assurances that we want to ensure that children in the state have a bright and productive future irrespective of status, religion, sex and background,” part of the statement read.
On the theme of this year’s Children’s Day, “For every child, every right,” the governor explained that his administration was in the forefront of eliminating child labour, child trafficking, malnutrition, dislocation, or any other form of attacks, adding that no child in the state would experience a setback in their education due to their family background.
“As a way of ensuring every child in Enugu State participates in the journey to shaping a better future, our administration has placed a high priority on basic and primary education. We are not only offering quality education, we are offering a free, world-class experiential system of learning that has departed from the traditional method of education.
“We will keep listening and giving our children voices to be heard, and celebrate their talents and ingenuity,” the statement added.