Education described as best empowerment for girl child

Dr Nkem Okeke, Anambra Deputy Governor says that quality education remains the best empowerment any government or family should provide for a girl child to equip her for life.

Okeke made the disclosure on Thursday during a sensitization program organsied by the state government to mark the 2018 International Girl Child Day in Awka.

He called for collaborative efforts by stakeholders including Traditional Rulers, Religious leaders especially fathers in the society to end early girl child marriage and protect the girl child.

Okeke said that best legacy parents could bequeath to their wards was education to enable them compete globally and stand independently to challenges of life.

He disclosed that the state government was doing everything within its powers to end early child marriage in the state.

Okeke said that the Golden Girls who made the country proud at the 2018 Tech-Novation world competition in USA was a proof of value a girl child could bring to homes and society at large.

In his remarks, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Revd Paulinus Ezeokafor said that time had gone when concept of housewives dominated the society.

The cleric said that women made meaningful contributions to the development of the nation as well as family upkeep.

According to him, the success of the Golden Girls was a proof of what a girl child can achieve and urged other girls in the state to emulate the Tech-Novation girls’ commitment and stand out in their chosen career.

Ezeokafor said that hair plaiting in school should be abolished as it was time consuming and distract girl child from concentrating fully in her academic pursuit.

Also speaking at the event, Mrs Mary Izuchukwu, one of the conveners of the event said that the message would be taken to 21 local government areas of the state.

Izuchukwu said that sensitisation was important because of the spate of early marriage, child trafficking, abuse and denial of human rights in the society.

She said that awareness needed to be created for parents to know that a girl child should be mature before going into marriage and called for self development on the part of the girl child.

Miss Ogechi Okeke, who participated in the program said she was happy to know that their welfare was in minds of leaders local and internationally.

It was reported that the events attracted the Girls Guild , security operatives and the Youth Council of Nigeria.