The Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Mr. Peter Obi has said that every Nigerian child deserves access to education, healthcare amongst other things.
Mr. Obi enjoined the government and ‘leaders’ to invest in crucial areas that will enhance the development of children, thereby giving them a better future which in turn leads to a better society.
He made the statement on X, formerly Twitter on Monday in celebration of this year’s Children’s Day, noting that children are the future leaders of Nigeria.
“On this day, we celebrate Children’s Day, I rejoice with all the Nigerian children, for whose sake, we remain firmly committed in our struggle for a New Nigeria.
“This day which is set aside to celebrate the Nigerian child, presents us the opportunity to focus on our children – the future leaders of our nation, and also reminds us of the need to invest in their growth; and support and nurture their dreams.
“Every Nigerian child deserves access to quality education, healthcare, and a safe and secure environment to live and thrive. We must, therefore invest in these key areas of development for their sake and the future of our society.
“Sadly, the challenges of child labour persists in our Nigerian society today. A National Bureau of Statistics report states that 39.2 per cent of our children are in child labour and 22.9 per cent of children are involved in hazardous work.
“The reports further assert that four out of every ten children in Nigeria are trapped in child labour, therefore, putting the children and the future of society at risk,” he stated.
According to him, in tackling the challenges of child labour, the government and ‘leaders’ must focus on pulling more Nigerians out of poverty, thereby ensuring the respect of the rights of every Nigerian child.
The former Anambra State Governor encouraged parents, guardians, teachers and benefactors to continue to give their best to children in their care so as to raise responsible citizens in the country.
He added: “To the children, I encourage them to take seriously their moral and educational formation. We restate our commitment to building a safe, secure and productive nation for our children to live in, fully and freely explore their potentials – the New Nigeria we are working towards.”
