The Senate on Thursday, urged the
Federal Government to intensify effort to secure the release of Leah Sharibu,
the only Dapchi schoolgirl yet to be released from abduction.
The upper chamber also urged the
government to ensure that the remaining Chibok schoolgirls, among those
abducted in April, 2014 and still in Boko Haram custody, were released.
The resolutions of the lawmakers
were sequel to a motion on “2018 Children’s Day Celebration” by Chairman,
Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Sen. Binta Garba, at plenary.
Garba explained that the Nigerian
child played a significant role in the development of the country, adding that
there was the need to lay a good foundation for them and secure their future.
“We recognise the importance of
developing the Nigerian child through the passage of legislations such as the
Child Rights Act, 2003,” he said.
The Act defines a new child
protective system and allows opportunities for the participation of children in
matters that concern their rights and welfare.
The Act has been domesticated and
operational in no fewer than 23 states in the country and the Federal Capital
Territory.
She said that there was also the
Universal Basic Education Act, 2004 which made education of the Nigerian child
compulsory and enforceable rights, with penalties for parents and guardians who
fail or neglect the obligations.
“Nigeria is the second largest
contributor to the under-five and maternal mortality rate in the world.
“Under the National Health Act,
2014, all pregnant women, the elderly, the disabled and children are to be
exempt from paying for services in public hospitals,” he added.
Garba, however, said that
contrary to the Act, children and pregnant women still paid for medical
services in public hospitals.
In her contribution, Sen. Rose
Oko (PDP-Cross River) decried the number of out-of-school children across the
country.
She said that the Nigerian child
was still a basic target of all sorts of violence, including kidnapping and
rape.
“This is going on unabated,” she
decried.
Oko, therefore, called for
commitment in the implementation of the various Acts related to children issues,
to stem the trend.
In his remarks, President of the
Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, urged his colleagues to continue to live up to the
responsibility of ensuring that they showed love and care to the children.
He also called for the laying of
a foundation for a bright future for the children, saying “as we celebrate, let
us take up the responsibility to improve the health of our children.
“With the one per cent we have
put for primary health care, and with proper implementation, we can see full
coverage of immunisation of our children.
“This will go a long way in
reducing the mortality. Secondly, we should look at the UBEC Law and see how we
can ensure that there are many more years for free education.
“This is because education should
be very important. That bill has already passed; we are waiting for concurrence
from the House of Representatives.
“This is the kind of gift that we
can give our children to lay a bright foundation,” he said.
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