LG’s chairman’s wife seeks skills, education for Girl-child
Prof. Beatrice Awortu, wife of the Chairman of Andoni local government area in Rivers, said adequate career guide and skills development was crucial for emancipation of the girl child in Nigeria.
Awortu said this at Ngo, the council’s headquarters while addressing cross-session of students as part of programme to mark the 2022 International Girl Child Day.
The theme for the celebration: ‘Our Time is Now – Our Rights, Our Future’ was geared towards reaffirming the rights of the girl child while also proffering solutions to challenges that limits her self-reliance.
She urged young girls to equip themselves with enterprising skills in their pursuit towards resourceful career so as to be able to surmount unemployment which breeds prostitution, drug addiction and other social vices.
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Awortu, who is also the Director of, General Studies Unit, Ignatius Aguru University of Education, admonished female students to resist peer pressure and invest spare time on self-development.
“The issue of unemployment can only be successfully addressed when the girl child is empowered to become self-reliant, informed and fit to contribute to the development of the society,” she said.
Similarly, Dr Amadi Awajimam, a Senior Registrar at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and resource person at the event, urged parents to shun inhumane practices like early child marriage, female genital mutilation and other practices capable of endangering female reproductive health.
Awajimam, who is also a Nephrologist, advised students to abstain from sex to avoid unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and related health complications.
Another guest lecturer, Mr Blessed Michael of the Department of History and Diplomatic Studies, Ignatius Aguru University of Education, warned the girl child against indecent dressing and social media addiction.
Michael noted that the girl child is expected to exhibit high level of integrity, discipline, and decency as the society struggles to overcome the manacle of sexual molestation and rape.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Council, Mr Erastus Awortu, gave the council’s commitment to continue to invest in programmes that would benefit the girl child and the vulnerable in the area.
Awortu was represented by Mr Franklin Dimiari, the Council’s Secretary.
