*** Raises fund for supporting girl child education
By Amuda Dan Sulaiman Fab
Kogi State chapter of the Arewa Women in Action, has launched the maiden edition of its twenty twenty-two Almanac, fund raising for supporting Girl Child education and presentation of awards to prominent Kogi indigenes at an event held at Amusement Park, Lokoja, on Monday.
Delivering a keynote address, an activist, Salamatu Adamu Danfulani, said; ” educating the girl child translates to better health for the future generation, reduction in child morbidity and morality this triggering a snowball effect of achieving all other sustainable development goals in a viable manner.
“The girl child needs to be educated to acquire knowledge and skills needed to advance her status for social interactions and self-improvement.
Danfulani further appealed to both federal, state governments and traditional wards to strengthen and implement the Child’s Rights Act.
Speaking at the event, the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hon. Fatima Kabir Buba, stressed the need for Kogi people to promote their rich cultural heritage by learning and speaking their mothers tongue.
She said the state government would continue to develop policies and programmes that would support girl-child education, protect them from sexual abuse and instill confidence in them.
Earlier the chairman of the occasion, Dr Bala Salisu, called on members of the Arewa Women in Action to maintain the spirit by making the production of the almanac annual event.
He said the association would go a long way in supporting young girls in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions with tuition, education support and health insurance.
According to him, the support will also instill in them leadership and peer learning opportunities to give them better prospects for their future.
Salisu noted that educating the girl-child goes beyond advocating gender equality and female rights;, saying “education for the girl-child results in positive transformation and development at family, community and national levels.
“Every child deserves to go to school. 60 per cent of the total out-of-school children in Nigeria are girls; which means 5.5 million girls are out of school and it is the highest rate worldwide. If all women had a primary education, maternal deaths would reduce by two-thirds, and 98, 000 lives will be saved,” he said.
In her closing remark, President of the Arewa Women in Action, Hajiya Nafisat Larei Usman, thanked all those who turned up for their support assuring that the funds raised will be channeled towards promoting girl-child education in the state.
The gathering themed “Girl Child Education for Nation Building” was well attended.
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