Mbah Restates Commitment To Child Welfare, Zero Tolerance For Abuse

Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to prioritising child welfare and education, describing sustained investment in children as critical to the state’s long-term development.

Speaking at the Government House, Enugu, while receiving members of the Enugu State Children’s Parliament, led by its Speaker, Miss Chimamanda Amobi, the governor reiterated a zero-tolerance stance against all forms of child abuse, including child marriage, sexual exploitation, trafficking and child labour.

Mbah noted that his administration had consistently allocated over 30 per cent of the state’s budgets for 2024, 2025 and 2026 to education, stressing that societies that neglect the education and welfare of children risk mortgaging their future.

He said the government’s flagship Smart Green Schools initiative covering 260 schools across the state was designed to prepare children for the demands of the 21st-century global economy, with facilities for robotics, artificial intelligence, ICT, virtual and augmented reality, e-libraries and skills-based learning.

The governor added that Enugu State now provides 12 years of free education, beyond the nine years recommended by UNESCO, including uniforms, learning materials and one daily nutritious meal.

He said each Smart Green School would also have a clinic to profile pupils’ health and immunisation status from admission.

Mbah emphasised that although the full benefits of the investments might not be immediate, the focus of his administration remained on building human capital rather than seeking short-term acclaim.

He warned that the government would decisively prosecute anyone involved in child abuse, citing a recent intervention that halted the marriage of an underage girl in the state.

In her remarks, the Speaker of the Children’s Parliament, Miss Amobi, commended the governor for placing children at the centre of governance, citing initiatives such as free school meals, child protection programmes, disability inclusion policies and the establishment of Smart Green Schools.

The delegation was accompanied by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih; the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Nkechinyere Ewoh; and UNICEF Nigeria’s Communications Officer for Advocacy and Partnerships, Dr. Ijeoma Onuoha-Ogwe.