Dare Babalola
Vice President Kashim Shettima has assured stakeholders and development partners of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to promoting girl-child education across Nigeria.
According to a statement signed on Tuesday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications, Shettima made the assurance during a meeting with a PLAN International delegation led by its Director of Programme, Quality, and Innovation, Helen Mfonobong Idiong on Monday.
Shettima emphasised that the administration is passionate and deeply committed to advancing girl-child education, citing the school feeding programme as one of the government’s essential interventions.
“We will continue the engagement with PLAN International and see where the force and strength of government can be brought to bear on your solid advice on girl-child education,” the Vice President told the PLAN delegation.
He also described First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as a symbol of how a properly empowered and supported girl-child can blossom into a great leader.
“I want to assure you, on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, that this government is gender-friendly. We believe in inclusivity. We cannot disenfranchise half of our population and expect to grow as a nation,” he stated.
The Vice President invited a teenager, Joy Ogah, to take over his seat for a day, allowing her to address the nation and make a strong case for girl-child education.
Ogah expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent millions of Nigerian girls and highlighted the challenges facing girl-child education in Nigeria, including the fact that 10.5 million children are out of school, with over 60 percent of them being girls.
“We must invest in education that is safe and inclusive for every child in Nigeria,” she said.
Ogah urged relevant authorities to enforce laws that protect the rights of every girl-child and highlighted the need to provide free sanitary products in schools, as well as ensure access to water, sanitation, and nutrition for the Nigerian child.
“When girls are protected, peace becomes possible,” she added.
She continued, “I may be the Vice President for a day, but the struggles I represent cannot end in a day. They must continue in our policies, our classrooms, our conversations, and our budgets.”
According to her, every girl deserves a classroom, a choice, dignity, and not silence.
Earlier, Idiong noted that girls around the world face crises, and Nigeria is no exception, explaining that PLAN International has provided interventions for over 11 million Nigerian children in areas such as education, entrepreneurship, and youth development.
“We have been working across Nigeria to improve the lives of children,” she said.
The Vice President assured PLAN International that the administration’s doors are open for continuous engagement, adding that “the ladies on my team are the best people to engage.”
