The Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has said that his administration has signed into law, the Child’s Right Act which is committed to the provision of equal opportunity for all Abia children irrespective of family status.
Ikpeazu, who disclosed this in Umuahia, said the signing of Child’s Right Act into law made street hawking and child labour an offence in the state.
He further hinted that the state was interested in the welfare and mainstreaming the rights of the girl child, emphasising that “This administration will continue to rise against any individual or persons that indulge in abusing young children especially female children. We will deploy every strength and effort within us to ensure that we bring to book all those who made it a habit to abuse our children”.
He used the opportunity to inform the students and pupils that Basic Education in Abia State was their right, and that they should feel free to contact the Scholarship Board with evidence of their inability to support themselves in higher school.
The governor stressed the need for students to acquire skills aside formal education, adding that every child should be interested in, at least, one skill.
He regretted that today, students could no longer boast of any skill acquired while undergoing their formal education.
Ikpeazu urged them to follow his footsteps of acquiring skill of making shoes despite being a PhD holder.
In a related development, Ikpeazu has placed order for 2,500 pairs of school shoes for distribution to some indigent Abia children as part of his Children’s Day gifts to them.
He noted that the shoes would be produced by Enyimba Automated Shoes Company Aba and hoped that the shoes would be produced expeditiously.
The Abia Governor stated that modalities for equitable distribution of the shoes would be announced in due course.
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