Hon. Danladi Jatau, Speaker, of Nasarawa State House of Assembly has pledged that the assembly would provide the needed guidance and technical support to the Children’s Parliament in the state to enable them succeed.
The Speaker made the pledge at the inauguration of the state’s 5th Children’s Parliament on Wednesday in Lafia.
Jatau said that he was delighted to because it would provide the children the platform to build the leadership skills required to sustain the country’s hard earned democracy.
He promised that the assembly would consider some of the laws to be made by the children’s parliament for serious legislative processes in order to become part of the state laws.
He advised them to take the opportunity seriously and enact laws that would strengthen the protection of the rights of children in the state.
“On behalf of the assembly, I want you to always count on us and our doors will always be opened to you.
“I have no doubt in my mind that some of you are potential parliamentarians and members of the executive and judiciary arms in the state or national levels,” the speaker added.
In her goodwill message, Silifat Sule, Wife of Gov. Abdullahi Sule of the state congratulated the children for involving in the process to take decisions affecting their lives.
The governor’s wife represented Mrs Shela Tosan-Akabe, wife of the Deputy Governor and promised to support the children to achieve their potential as the mother of the state.
On her part, Ai’sha Rufa’i, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, said children are important in the transmission of the country’s cherished culture and need to be brought up in a safe and conducive environment.
The Commissioner also promised to put machinery in place to sustain the children parliament and make it more active to enable them to contribute to issues concerning them.
The Commissioner explained that the state domesticated the Child’s Rights Law in 2005 and inaugurated its first Children’s Parliament the same year.
She said that the governor had in 2020 signed an Executive Order directing for the full implementation of the Child’s Rights Law in the state.
The Commissioner further said that the children had elected their members from 13 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state and the representatives from the LGAs also elected their principal officers.
“The new officials were elected to serve for the next two years and we will make sure to meet regularly and also carry out other functions,” she added.
The Speaker of the Children’s Parliament, Mary Osanadi presided over the inaugural setting of the parliament and promised to lead with the fear of God. (NAN).