By Sule Aliyu, Bauchi
Wives of the 19 northern state governors, under the aegis of Northern Governors’ Wives Forum (NGWF) yesterday expressed their resolution to promote the enrolment of girl’s child in schools who still lag behind in terms of admission compared to their southern counterpart.
Equally urged their husbands to support them (the wives) in changing the lives of women and children through training in different skills acquisition programmes and empowering them.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a two-day conference held at the Yankari Game Reserve and Resort in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, the wife Bauchi State governor, Hajiya Hadiza Abubakar, stated that women and children as vulnerable groups in the society must be empowered for them to succeed.
According to her, when women financial status is raised, it will reduce poverty as well as benefit the family and the society by extension.
She further called the northern governors to make effort in providing employment for the teeming unemployed youths in the Northern part of Nigeria, declaring that by so doing, it will promote peace and unity among the youth.
She added that the girl-child education must be supported by the Northern state governors, adding that drugs must be supplied by the respective states to all the health facilities in their domains to help women during rape accident.
She, however, commended the wife of the President, Hajiya Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, setting aside this type of forum and her support for governors’ wives.
On the conference, Hajiya Abubakar informed that the main aim of their gathering was to assist, especially in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno and other parts of the country.
In his remarks, the governor of Bauchi State, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, informed the gathering that his administration is taking issues of women and children serious in the state since coming on board.
According to the governor, free medical services are being provided for pregnant women and children under five years of age to curb infant and maternal mortality in the state.
He further said that enrollment of girls in school in the state has improved last year from 2 percent to 17 percent.
Governor Abubakar, however, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the successes recorded so far in the fight against corruption and insurgency.
Twelve Northern governor wives are in attendance at the event.
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