In his message to Nigerians on the 2019 Children’s Day, Benjamin Kalu, Member Elect for Bende Federal Constituency has pledged to sponsor and support policies and legislation that protect the rights of the Nigerian Child.
The member elect who will be participating in a Children’s Day tuberculosis program for kids organized by Global TB Caucus, stressed on the need to preserve the rights of the Nigerian Child to life, health, education and protection.
Read his message below:
2019 CHILDREN’S DAY: MY PLEDGE TO THE FUTURE
We celebrate our children because we love them, they embody the optimistic ideals which we struggle to hold on to and because they are our hope for the future.
However, we celebrate this year’s Children’s Day in a time where Universal Basic Education is promised to all but only a few can access quality education; a time where our government must be supported to root out the endemic corruption crippling our progress; a time where there are up to 150 million street children in the world; a time where the continued existence of life on earth critically depends on our response to climate change before 2030; a time were sicknesses like tuberculosis threaten to steal the future of our kids. According to the United Nations, children make up nearly half of the almost 900 million people living below the poverty line in the world. About 124 million children are out of school and one billion children experience some form of emotional, physical or sexual violence every year, with one child dying from violence every 5 minutes. In 2016 alone, there were about 406,000 new cases of tuberculosis.
We must ask ourselves some fundamental questions: What future do we see for Nigeria? What kind of world do we want for our children? Every child has the right to life, health, education and protection, and every society has a stake in expanding children’s opportunities in life.
We must build on the legacies of our founding fathers and leave a worthy inheritance for our children. We must create a future for them where their optimism can thrive. We must offer a hope for a better future, not just in words, but in actions. We must collectively strive for a nurturing environment where every citizen has the chance to pursue their dreams.
As we celebrate the 2019 Children’s Day a few days before I am sworn into the 9th House of Representatives, I reiterate my commitment to a green economy and sustainable future for our nation. I pledge to sponsor and support policies and legislation that protect the rights of the Nigerian Child. I shall always hold the executive to the highest standards of responsibility for the future of our nation.
For the sake of our children, I shall play my part and I urge every Nigerian to also do the same.
Happy Children’s Day!
