Obasanjo, Akpan urge better deal for children
From Okumephuna Chukwunwike, Abuja
PRESIDENT Olusegun Obasanjo and the Minister of Women Affairs, Rita Akpan, were among those, who on Wednesday in Abuja made a strong case for better future of African Children.
They made the call at this year's edition of The Day of African Child with the theme "The African Child and the Family".
Obasanjo regretted that many problems confront the African Child ranging from poverty to hunger and others, which come with globalisation.
He regretted that African governments have not done enough to better the life of children and make them ready to take up the mantle of leadership in future.
His words: "If today's children are really the leaders of tomorrow, then something tangible must be done to alleviate their suffering and make the future conducive for their habitation".
He pointed that every African child is entitled to basic primary education, health care and good upbringing.
He called on his counterparts in the continent to spend more on children instead of, on material and useless projects that would not make impact on the lives of the young ones.
Obasanjo advised over five thousand children, who came for the event to reciprocate the kind gesture to their parents and government by being obedient and proud of their parents and Nigeria.
He canvassed for responsible, hard working and useful children, saying, "if Obasanjo, who was born in the village that is no where in the map of Nigeria can be a president, you can be everything you want to be with hard work".
In her address, Akpan opined that children occupy an important place in the family but regretted that urbanisation has contributed to the erosion of the basic social values every child is expected to have.
She lamented that African Children have so much been neglected, abused and trafficked.
Calling for the protection of children's rights, Akpan, however, asked the children to exercise such rights within the ambience of the law.
Her words: "Exercise your rights as a child within the ambit of the law, decency and rectitude with utmost respect to your parents from whom you come into the world".
