Children’s Day: Ebonyi children’s parliament submits demands to authorities

Preparatory to the celebration of 2025 children’s day, leadership of Ebonyi Children’s Parliament has submitted a document containing their demands to relevant authorities and the Civil Society.

 

The children’s demands were contained in a harmonized communique which emanated from resolutions reached from their special parliamentary sittings held earlier in three local government areas: Abakaliki, Ezza North and Afikpo, representing the three senatorial zones of the state.

 

The process was facilitated by a Civil Society Organisation, Human Right and Conflict Resolution Centre in collaboration with the State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.

 

Some of the issues raised in the commumique bordered on dilapidated infrastructure and poor learning facilities in public schools, high cost of health services, worsening state of children’s insecurity, child trafficking, child labour and other harmful practices against children such as child marriage, female genital mutilation, among others.

 

Receiving the children on Friday in her office on behalf of the wife of the Governor, Mrs Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru, the state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Felicia Nwamkpuma, commended the children for the bold initiative.

 

She also appreciated the facilitator organisation, HRCRC for supporting the children through the process, emphasising that the exercise was in tandem with this years theme of children’s day celebration which is focused on standing up and speaking against bullying.

 

Nwamkpuma, represented by the Head, Child Developmemt Department of the Mimistry, Emmanuel Nkwuda, promised to do the needful towards ensuring that document gets to the wife of the governor for further action.

 

“We will follow up to ensure that the document gets to the wife of the Governor, and I know that this government under Right Honourable Francis Nwifuru which is based on the People’s Charter of Needs will do justice to the demands as contained in this communique”, the Commissioner assured.

 

At the Judiciary High Court, Abakaliki, the children were received by the Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Elvis Ngene, who admonished them to always strive for integrity in all their doings.

 

Represented by Justice Franklin Edem, Ngene maintained that the judiciary has been committed to protecting the rights of children and assured that the quest of the children as encapsulated in the communique would adequately be given the usual attention it demands.

 

Ngene added: “Over the years, we as the judiciary have been doing our utmost best to ensure that the interest of children as articulated in our various laws are well protected.

 

“HRCRC is doing a good job, mentoring you as young Honourables, and I wish to advise that you take this assignment very seriously so that at the end of the day the glory of God will continue to to be in you.

‘Dont misuse this oportunity.

 

“We the judiciary have promised to do everything within our reach to ensure that all your objectives for up this communique does not go in vain.”

 

The children were also received by the Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Mrs Blessing Uche Edene on behalf of the Speaker’ Rt. Hon. Moses Odunwa; the Coordinator of Ebonyi State Civil Societies Network, Chief Oliver Chima Ajah, represented by his deputy Mrs Goodness Mgbaja, as well as the Cordinator of the State Gender-based Violence Taskforce, Barr. Faithvin Nwanchor who in their separate remarks committed to intensify collaboration to escalate the voice of the children in the state.

 

The Speaker, Afikpo Children parliament and leader of the delegation, Right Honourable Miss Precious Onyinyechi Ibiam, while handing over the document to the various authorities said the document contained some of the issues affecting children in the state and solicited for efforts towards addressing them.

 

Miss Ibiam said: “I am mandated to present this communique which contain some of the issues affecting us as children through this platform.

 

“This communique is being presented to you this day, the 16th day of May, 2025, and we hope that our cry and pleas will not be ignored but instead be looked into and given satisfactory response.

 

Laying the background for the exercise, the Executive Director, HRCRC, George Etamesor, explained that his organisation after a review of its various interventions for children, found it better to give the children voice through the platform to speak directly concerning issues affecting them.

 

He noted that apart from giving the children voice to contribute to governance and address their issues, the exercise was also aimed at giving the children the platform of training as leaders of tomorrow.

 

The communique was also to be delivered to the office of the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Ben Uruchi Odo and that of the State Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission, Chris Okorie, among others.