Khadija Saidu
The wife of Kebbi state governor, Zainab Nasare Idris, said the government has placed a premium on girl child education as a priority for women’s development and emancipation.
She stated this at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Women Committee, North West Zonal Conference in Birnin Kebbi, on Wednesday, with a Theme of: “Barriers for young women and girl child education in Northern Nigeria.”
The Governor’s wife who was represented by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Maryam Abubakar Tafida, pointed out that recently, Governor Nasir Idris flagged off the construction of new classrooms under the AGILE scheme, during which he announced the upgrading and provision of necessary infrastructure to 120 schools throughout the state to enhance quality education and increase school enrolment.
She made it clear that the state government would sustain intervention and support to young women and girls to pursue the acquisition of knowledge.
Nasare commended NLC for prioritizing girl child education and organizing training workshops to enlighten its members.
In their separate remarks, Kebbi state NLC Chairman, Comrade Murtala Usman, Chairperson of the NLC Women Committee, Comrade Hadiza Abubakar Ribah, and the Chairperson of North West NLC Committee, Comrade Martha Haruna Banki, thanked the wife of the Governor and her husband Governor Nasir Idris for hosting the conference which is the first of its kind to be held in Birnin Kebbi.
Specifically, they commended Zainab Nasare for being an advocate of women’s rights and embarking on a rigorous campaign against gender-based violence.
Furthermore, they acknowledged her untiring efforts in promoting and supporting girl child education including the AGILE program as demonstrated by her recent financial empowerment to secondary school girls to lessen the education burden on parents.
A major highlight of the event was a paper presentation by the guest speaker, Garba Hamisu, who requested states in the north to return at least two teachers colleges in each state as a matter of urgency.
He also decried the number of out-of-school girls in Nigeria estimated at 7.6 million of which 46% are in the north particularly North West and North East.
He however advised governments at all levels to encourage girl child education by enforcing UBEC law which prescribed compulsory education for children as their inalienable rights of both males and females, saying girls’ enrollment is minimal, especially in rural areas.
