Child Rights Law: Jonathan Commends RSG

President Goodluck Jonathan has commended the Rivers State Government for the Child Right Bill it has signed into law.

Giving this commendation in his speech at the Children’s Day celebration at the Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt, yesterday, the president said the signing into law of the Child Rights Bill is a clear indication of importance the state attached to children wellbeing.

President Jonathan’s speech was delivered by Rivers State Deputy Governor, Engr Tele Ikuru, who also congratulated Governor Chibuike Amaechi on his 45th birthday anniversary, and hailed the state House of Assembly form the passage of the bill.

He, however, urged Nigerians to live up to the challenge of child mortality, and the need to eradicate polio in Nigeria with the overall idea of demonstrating good health and better nutrition for Nigeria children.

Earlier in his speech, the Rivers State Commissioner for Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Mr Joe Poroma said that Rivers State government is children friendly, pointing out that this could be seen in the various child-oriented policies and programmes it has embarked upon.

Said he, ‘ it is worthy to note that only Rivers State among the states in the federation took over the payment of Primary Schools teachers salaries and has also joined the comity of states that have passed the child rights law”.

Noting that children’s day is an annual event in honour of Nigerian children in recognition of their role and importance to national development, he said that children are  prove to various forms, various forms of abuses such as rape, stress, hawking and trafficking among others.

The commissioner thanked the wife of the governor, Dame Judith Amaechi and the state House of Assembly for their concerted efforts, adding that the theme of this year’s celebration” ‘ partnering for improved nutrition of mother and child”, was timely, considering the need for collective responsibility in child upbringing and protection.

Over 50 schools in Port Harcourt participated at the event where prises were presented to deserving schools.

The police children schools came first with 88 point, while Navy Primary School an Army Children schools came second and third with 82 and 80 points respectively in the primary schools category.

Government Girls Secondary School, Archdeacon Brown Education Centre and Model Girls Secondary School Rumueme came first, second and third with 92, 91 and 90 points respectively in the secondary schools category.

Julie Jumbo