Tina Amanda
Ahead of 2022 International Day of the Girl Child celebration, Nigeria Association of Women Journalist Rivers State chapter (NAWOJ) has appealed for partnership in development of the girl child across the state.
Chairperson of NAWOJ Rivers, Susan Serekara-Nwikhana, who made the appeal when she led some of her members to pay a courtesy visit to Dumo Lulu Briggs Governorship candidate of Accord Party, said there is need for the girl child to be well educated, acquire knowledge and skills that will advance her status for self improvement.
She maintained it is of essence to lay down developmental structures that will support the girl child welfare, noting it is not enough to just commemorate the day with the rest of the world with out any meaningful impact.
Serekara-Nwikhana said, “We appreciate what you have been doing so far in the lives of women and children in the society. We just came to appeal to you to look into what has been a burden of the girl child in the past and substantiate for us.
“We just want you to partner with us in the area of girl child, NAWOJ is a body that engages in advocacy and sensitizing the people. Whatever area you would want us to join you in lending our voice in the development of girls in the society we are very much ready.”
In his response, Dumo Lulu-Briggs Governorship candidate for Accord Party, pledged his support while stating that it requires a cumulative commitment and dedication to the service of improving the girl child and the entire state.
He said, “Its not going to be easy but it’s achievable, sometimes we do not understand the reason we call for meeting’s, why we are here today is to see how we can partner together to do something for the girl child and it is purposed by God.
“I have three daughters and a son, so in my family those who controls me are the four of them and three of them are women, so I have every reason to do the most I can for the girl child. So we can lift the expectant minds of all of us who are here the inspiration’s of pressing needs of this present time.”
Speaking on his Governorship mandate, Lulu-Briggs acknowledged that he is the only candidate amongst all the Governorship candidates in the state with the head and heart to make the desired change needed in Rivers State.
According to him, “The state is in dare need of a change, this is the time for technocrats in the state to rebuild the system again from what carrier politicians has left of it. We are coming with on a new slate.
“Taking people into the government to sail together is better than to give money. We want the state back to it’s glory it was born and created with back in the days of 27 May, 1967.
“Back in the early days of Rivers men and women were raised and brought together without no disparity, no language or culture differences, we did everything on common ground. We went to same school, ate from same plate and pot it filled all of us with warmth.
“As a young boy I had lots of food to eat either in my neighbors house or friends. I was never born with a golden spoon as people presumed, my father was never a rich man from beginning, it was all a humble beginning.
“We need to awake the state to her glorious destiny, I would not say those in government have not done well, they have done their best, but we need more than infrastructure development in the state.”
The Governorship candidate, however, reiterated his commitment to ensure that every local government, towns in the state is developed just as all areas in Lagos state is a city and fully developed.
“I would not ask people to vote me in as Governor of the state, but let them vote for that man and woman that have the vision to spread opportunities evenly to everyone.
“People have not done what they should do for people of the state, people are not created to suffer but to enjoy, they have endured for so long. I have that will to create Rivers State to what it should be, the bond of love.
“It is time to pick the best of us to work for the rest of us. If a place like Andoni local government is developed, it would generate more revenue for the state, we will make every part of Rivers State a city to expand the economy in order to accommodate everyone,” he added.
