Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs) has called for support from stakeholders to address the increasing level of out-of-school children.
Mr Desmond Utomwen, the Media Assistant to the SSAP-SDGs in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja said Orelope-Adefulire made the call at an event to commemorate the Universal Children’s Day.
The presidential aide urged stakeholders to give greater priority to issues relating to the wellbeing and welfare of children.
According to her, concerted effort from stakeholders in and outside government is the only way to tackle the increasing problem of out-of-school children in the country.
“The increasing number of out-of-school children has become a source of concern not only in Nigeria, but across the world.
“It is therefore pertinent to use the occasion of the 2018 Universal Children’s Day to appeal to all stakeholders to join hands to tackle this problem,” she said.
The presidential aide commended the Federal Government over its National Home Grown Feeding Programme, adding that the initiative had boosted school enrollment across the country.
She, therefore, advocated for the introduction of a similar programme to tackle the problem of out-of-school children.
Orelope-Adefulire called for more strategic partnerships to tackle the increasing problems of child abuse in the country to complement the collaboration between the Office of the SSAP-SDGs and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA).
She said the collaboration provided for free legal services for the vulnerable group, who suffer different kinds of abuses.
According to her, a bright future can only be guaranteed for the country if adequate attention is paid to the welfare of children who are the future leaders.
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