FEMALE STUDENTS PRAISES GOV, UGWUANYI FOR PROMOTING GIRL CHILD

 

ENUGU

CHUKWUAGOLUM KOSI

 

 

A contingent of Female students of secondary schools, from the three Senatorial districts of Enugu state, has praised the state Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi

for promoting the wellbeing of children in the state and especially the girl Child.

 

In commemoration of this year's international Day of the Girl Child October 11, the student paid a solidarity visit to the Government house, Enugu, and also because of the governor's wife's pet project, Ugo's Touch of Life Foundation (U-TOLF).

 

the students speaking thanked the Governor “For your concern for the welfare of children and women”, adding that: “This is evident through the signing of the Child Rights and Responsibility Act into Law and further domestication of the law in the state through the establishment of family courts and a rehabilitation home for vulnerable women”.

 

“Children in Enugu state are empowered to seek for justice when their rights are infringed upon. For this, we are immensely grateful”.

 

The students thanked the Governor for the fatherly and timely intervention in the case of the 10-year old girl Child, Nneoma Nnadi, who was physically abused by her guardians .

 

“Not only did you (Gov Ugwuanyi) direct that she receives the best medical attention by taking charge of her hospital bills, you also offered a full scholarship for the child up to University level, provided funds for the welfare of the widowed mother and her family and equally directed that the Ministry of Justice works to ensure that the perpetrators of the violence are brought to book. This demonstrates your zero tolerance to gender-based violence, abuse and violation of the rights of a child, support for education and empowerment of women. On behalf of the child and every child in the state, we say thank you”.

 

they commended the governor for his administration giant steps to ensure that Enugu State is placed on the national map as one of the best states in the WASH sector, through the recent workshop, organized by the State Ministry of Water Resources and U-TOLF in collaboration with UNICEF, for the development of the state’s roadmap for the attainment of the “Open Defecation Free (ODF)” goal by 2025.

 

“We believe that this step will position the state to access more funding to improve sanitation in the state, especially in our schools. In no distant time, we want to boast of a state where all children have access to good sanitary facilities. Thank you so much for your commitment to improved healthcare for your people”, they added.

 

Governor Ugwuanyi while responding, appraised the notable contributions of U-TOLF in touching lives, stating his administrations commitment to change the narrative in girl child protection, education, opportunities and empowerment in the state.

Revealing the states governments willingness to partner U-TOLF for the benefit of the girl child and women in keeping with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the governor maintained that his administration has been in the vanguard of the global agenda through the passage of the Child Rights Law in 2016; establishment of six family courts across the three senatorial districts of the state; provision of free medical, legal and counselling services for victims of rape especially women and girls at Tamar SARC centre; consequential increase in girl child school enrollment, and rescue and rehabilitation of over 1000 young girls who were victims of unwanted pregnancy.

 

Governor Ugwuanyi also noted some of his bold and notable policies “Rescue and re-union of over 50 physically abused children (mostly girls) with their families; award of scholarship to some victims of the domestic violence; provision of shelter at the FSP Children’s Home and Oasis of Hope for the Needy for over 100 vulnerable children, and establishment of School Gender-Based Clubs”.

 

The Governor also stated that his administration is encouraging girls to engage in science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses, also pointing out that the state government, through the well-resourced Science, Technical and Vocational Schools Management Board (STVSMB) has vigorously promoted STEM education in the state.

he stated that his administration has improved the infrastructure in the 295 secondary schools and 41 Science Technical and Vocational (STV) schools in the state, recruited professionally trained science, technical and mathematics teachers for secondary and STV schools, continued training and retraining of teachers and provision of science and technical equipment for schools as well as the provision of computers and accessories to basic, secondary, science and technical schools.

other steps taken by the governor is: “Conduct of annual science and technology fair at the basic education level; participation in local and national science, technology and mathematics competition, the formation of science and mathematics clubs in our schools and formation of Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientist’s Clubs in our schools”.