An international humanitarian organization, De Norsemen Kclub International has used the occasion of the 2019 Children’s Day Celebration to advise government at all levels to take the welfare of children and young people very serious.

This advise was given by the International President of the organization, Chief Dr Adeshola Giwa while addressing the members of the Humanitarian Directorate of the Organization who paid him a visit in the company of some selected children to mark the 2019 Children’s Day Celebration in Lagos.

“I congratulate every Nigerian child for seeing yet another Children’s Day. However, it is no longer time to pay lip service to the welfare of children and young people. It is time to take concrete steps to give them better life as human beings that have the capacity to lead us tomorrow.

“Government at all levels must rise up to this challenge. The children must be taken out of the streets. The children must have food to eat. The children must have roofs over their heads. The children must have cloths to wear. Th children must have education. Anything short of these is unacceptable”, he noted.

Chief Dr Giwa said that it is unfortunate that government plays politics with issues that concern children.
“It is sad that the welfare of children has become a political tool for politicians. Most reported intervention programmes across the states are mere fictions. That is why millions of children roam the streets across the states without food, shelter, clothing and education. No nation can ever achieve greatness under this scenario.”

The International President linked the high rate of crime, insecurity, corruption and other social vices to the neglect and maltreatment of children and young people.
“Let us face the fact. Nigeria suffers from deadly crimes, insecurity, corruption and bad governance. We cannot abandon children on the streets and expect to sleep with our two eyes closed. We cannot abandon children on the streets and expect public funds to be safe. We may be dreaming to think that we can build a strong nation with hungry, naked, homeless and illiterate children.” He added.

“Our finding as a global humanitarian organization operating in the thirty-six states of Nigeria and major countries of the world is that the vast majority of people who perpetuate various acts of criminality were abandoned and neglected children who see crime as a path to honour, succour and getting back to the society.

“It, therefore, behoves on government at all levels to do everything possible to lift and empower the Nigerian child. Specifically, Local Chairmen, Governors, the President and all elected representatives, should channel their security votes towards the provision of free education to Nigerian children. More so, education in all public schools should be free at all levels. Children in Nigeria must be pulled out of the streets and pushed into the schools for us to have peace, security and corruption-free society.” He concluded.

By:
Isidore Agughasi
Director, Mass Media, DNKI.

And

Okechukwu Darlington Anugom, Director, Media and Communications, DNKI.