A Don, Prof. Maxwell Gidado, on Tuesday advocated for free education at all levels, to meet the needs of the country.
Gidado, who is the Dean of Faculty of Law, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, said that measure would give the Nigerian child an opportunity to grow into good leaders in future.He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that it was important for persons in positions of authority to pass laws beneficial to the Nigerian child.
“We should please endeavor to stop all harmful, cultural and social practices that inhibit the growth of children, children are a blessing, children are the leaders of tomorrow, they are the ones to take over from us, and if we don’t give them an opportunity, to a stage where they can grow and also be mentored under an atmosphere that we could relax and see them take over from where we stopped, the country is doomed.
“And particularly, the government and the legislative houses, they should not have any foot dragging in passing any legislation that would inhibit all these harmful practices against children, name it; female genital mutilation, trafficking, child labour, they should be given an opportunity to grow, in fact as it is, education should be free, in all the arms of government.
“Nigeria is rich enough to provide free education to (for) all children, corruption barring it, otherwise we can be able to do it and if the political will is there, we should be able to give these children the opportunity so that our tomorrow can be great.”
Gidado said that it was important for governments at all levels and development partners to implement laws to help in fulfilling the rights of children.
The don said that many children in the country were subjected to various forms of harmful practices that had negative impact on the development of their psyche and personality.
NAN recalls that the Chairperson of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Abuja branch, Mrs Amina Agbaje, urged all state governments to domesticate the Child Rights Act.
She told NAN that domesticating the act would go a long way in protecting the rights of Nigerian children.
She said that many children had become victims of various forms of abuses in the country over the years “and that is why the state of the Nigerian child has not reached the optimum’’.
“Though the Child Rights Act has been domesticated in some states of the federation, some states in the some parts of the country are yet to do that.’’
NAN reports that June 16 every year is celebrated as the day of the African child, the day is to commemorate the 1976 Soweto uprising in South Africa.
The celebration of the day offers the opportunity to reflect on the current realities of children in Africa.
The 2013 theme is “Eliminating Social and Cultural Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Our Collective Responsibility.’’
(NAN)
