Nigeria's Vice President, Yemi
Osinbajo on Sunday declared that Nigeria has the capacity to overcome the
many challenges it is facing.
He
said this while addressing State House Correspondents after a special service
to observe the country’s Children’s Day held at the Aso Villa chapel, Abuja.
“The
truth of the matter is that there are always challenges everywhere in every
nation of the world.
“But
I am convinced that we have the capacity to surmount all of the challenges as
there are.
“And
the key feature for me, one of the key features of government and governance is
the human development index, education, healthcare and the welfare of our
citizens,’’ he said.
According
to Osinbajo, for the first time the federal government is doing a programme
that none has ever done so far, that is the social investment programme.
“The
focus of that is on the human development index, home grown school feeding.
“For
the first time we are feeding 8.2 million children every day in 24 states.
“And
that is because we are concerned about the nutrition of the children, we are
concerned about the fact that children if they are not well fed, become
stunted, even mentally,’’ the Vice President noted.
Osinbajo
added that those were the kind of things that the administration thought ought
to be done “”and we are doing them and we have to keep expanding, keep working,
keep building, spending more and more”.
He
described the Nigerian children as special“ because the future of our nation
belongs to them and they have all that it takes to give the country a great
future.
“They
are very bright, they are very energetic, and they are very innovative and very
creative.’’
Osinbajo
noted that by watching the drama and listening to the music rendered by the
children at the service one could tell that there was so much innovation and so
much energy in them.
“And
so I am completely convinced that our nation’s future is extremely bright
because of all of the children that God has given us, the talent he has given
us.”
Osinbajo
observed that the event was also a moment “to reflect on the responsibility
both government and adults have to ensure that “we give to these children the
very best that we can.
“And
that is why the commitment of our government is to that bottom of the pyramid:
those who cannot afford education and cannot afford healthcare.
“Our
focus is on trying to get the very best for them; and we are going to even do
more of that.’’
The
Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters,
(Senate), Sen. Ita Enang, also urged Nigerian children to have faith in Nigeria
as the government was preparing so much for them and their future.
“President
Muhammadu Buhari, and the Vice President and all the administration work so
hard to preserve the future of Nigerian children.
“Everything
we are doing today we have them in mind because we know that we have finished
living for today we are living to prepare for them tomorrow,’’ Enang stated.
Pastor
Seyi Malomo, the Pastor in charge of Aso Villa Chapel, told correspondents that
he had seen a great hope for the children.
“A
day like this, as we celebrate the Nigerian child, it helps us to reassure the
children that there is hope and future for them and particularly under this
administration.
“I
am always enthused and happy when I see pictures of the President; he is always
surrounded by his children and grandchildren.
“And
like the children mentioned in the service they presented a gift to Mr.
President and Vice President acknowledging that their labour and service is not
just for them but for the children coming.
“So
I believe there is hope for the children; they should be rest assured that the
future will be brighter and they will enjoy it.”
Malomo
had at the service advised Nigerians to imbibe the lessons which Christ used
the children to teach.
In
his sermon titled “Lessons from Children’’, Malomo said children easily made
friends and were always themselves because they always said what they meant.
He
advised Nigerians to become like children by being humble to assure their
greatness adding that the way they received children determined how they would
be accepted by God.
The
Executive of the Nigerian Christian Corpers (Corps members) Fellowship attended
the service while children of the African International College, Abuja, and
those of the School for the Blind, Jabi, Abuja rendered songs.
Other
children staged a drama to discourage early exposure to the internet and social
media to children by their wealthy parents.
A
representative of the children, Gbemisola Owoeye, a JS 1 student, thanked the
President and Vice President for their relentless service to the nation adding
that the children would continue to pray for them not to relent.
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