Opinion
Child’s Rights And Nigeria’s Future
Children are indeed leaders of tomorrow and any attempt to jeopardise their well-being today means that the foundation of future leaders have not been properly laid. But if the foundation of the child is sound, his adulthood is sure. It is in this connection that the 20th of November every year is set aside to celebrate the child.
Universal Children’s Day was proposed to promote the welfare of children and foster understanding between them across the World. The idea was mooted by Ruhab Mansoor and adopted by the United Nation’s General Assembly in 1954. The Children’s Day was first celebrated worldwide in October 1955 under the sponsorship of the International Union for Child Welfare in Geneva. On 20th November, 1959, the UN General Assembly adopted a much expanded version as its own declaration of the Rights of the child with ten principles in place of the original five.
In Nigeria, Child Rights Act, which was passed into law by the National Assembly in 2003 contains a number of laudable provisions which, if implemented, would go a long way to ensure the protection and welfare of the Nigerian Child. The law outlines certain basic rights of the child, as well as criminal sanctions for the violation of these rights in a bid to ensure that the rights are upheld. These include rights to life, survival and development, rights to a name, nationality, privacy and family life, freedom of association and peaceful assembly in conformity with the laws and directions from parents.
Others are rights to personal opinion, freedom from discrimination, respect for dignity and rights to health and health services, parental care, as well as free, compulsory and universal primary education amongst others.
The Child Rights Act which was adopted with the intention of domesticating the convention on the rights of the child cannot be binding on the states. Therefore, it becomes the responsibility of State Houses of Assembly in compliance with Section twelve of the constitution to adopt and make their own laws. But it is unfortunate that the process has been very slow and in some cases controversial due to diverse cultures and religions in the country. That is why kudos should be given to the Rivers State House of Assembly for making the dreams of Rivers Children come through.
It is a thing of joy that two days ago, the State House of Assembly joined some over twenty other states of the federation to adopt the Child Rights Law. According to the Speaker of the House, Mr. Tonye Harry, “the passage of the law commemorates the Universal Children’s Day being celebrated today to ensure that children of the State are not left out in the numerous benefits enjoyed by their counterparts in other states”.
Also in recognition of the importance of the law to the children, the wife of the State Governor, Judith Amaechi paid an advocacy visit to the Assembly to shore up support for the speedy passage of the bill. She commended the lawmakers for their efforts in setting the foundation for the child right. According to her, the law is not for the children alone, but for the entire nation and the generation yet unborn.
Indeed, with the passage of the Child Rights Act by the State Assembly, the plight of every Rivers child is alleviated. However the question on the lips of many is: how effective would the law be? This question becomes pertinent against the reports that some states have refused to adopt the law, while in some states where it is adopted, it is not effectively enforced. This is where the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation should assert itself accordingly.
These days, most parents are too busy to meet family needs while other for self aggrandisement, have no time to monitor the activities of their children living everything in the hands of house helps. There are yet others who leave their responsibilities in the hands of teachers, not minding the need for protection of the child.
In every society, there is jungle justice, there is killing, but the society should know that children are a special breed and because of their vulnerability they should be protected. Infact, some of them may have been misled into crime or misconduct, yet they need to be pardoned.
Meanwhile, the issue of child trafficking, child abuse, child labour, street begging, street hawking, early marriage of the girl child, and placement of indelible marks on the child should be stopped.
According to the Speaker of the Children Parliament in the State, Helen Clifford, the society owes the child the rights to welfare and protection, noting that the passage of the law would make children of the state feel at home, restore their confidence, self esteem and improve their status.
Equally important is the fact that the Child Rights Law does not undermine the culture of the people, as a child in Nigeria and Rivers State is just like a child in the United States, United Kingdom or anywhere in the world and should be given a chance to live. The Federal Government should therefore ensure that the Child Rights Act is not only domesticated in all the states of the Federation but also made to function effectively.
Tubosia is of Radio Rivers, Port Harcourt.
Ijeoma Tubosia
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo