The House of Representatives will continue to work towards building a society that will be conducive for the overall growth and development of the Nigerian child, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara, has said.
In a press statement signed by his special adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Turaki Hassan, to mark the 2017 Children’s Day, the Speaker maintained that issues concerning the welfare of children, especially those of the poor and vulnerable in the society, are top priority to the legislature.
Hon Dogara stated that it is in line with this that the House supports free basic education for all Nigerian children, as it has the potential to unlock their ties to poverty and open a new vista of opportunities to them to generate prosperity for themselves, their families, the society and the nation at large.
“For a society to develop, the young children must be given an avenue to express themselves and explore their potentials to the fullest. The most veritable, most effective tool for this is education. Education is the key to breaking the chains of poverty and opening opportunities to prosperity in all spheres of human endeavour,” the Speaker noted.
While expressing joy that more of the Chibok school girls have regained freedom and will be spending this Children’s Day with their families, he assured that the National Assembly will continue to render full support to the executive in the efforts to secure the release of the other girls who are still in captivity of the Boko Haram terrorists.
Dogara also expressed confidence that children who are internally displaced in the country, will soon return to their homes to live proper lives as the government is not resting on its oars in ensuring that they reunite with their fami lies before long.
The Speaker urged states which are yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act to do in order to halt the spate of unwarranted crimes against children as well as upholding their rights.