News
Rep Calls for Implementation Of Child Rights Across States In Nigeria
By Gloria Ikibah
Member representing Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore and Federal Constituency of Osu state, in the House of Representatives, Rep. Bamidele Salamhas called on state governments and stakeholders to work together to ensure the effective implementation of the Child Rights Act across Nigeria.
Rep. Salam who is the Founder of the Children of Africa Leadership and Values Development Initiative (CALDEV), stated this at the openopening a five-day National Children’s Leadership Conference in Abuja, on Monday, stressed the importance of enforcing existing laws to protect Nigerian children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
“The Child Rights Act is not just a law—it’s a lifeline for millions of children. It ensures their right to education, healthcare, and a safe environment. But how many states are truly implementing its provisions?” Salam asked.
He called on corporate organisations to support CALDEV’s expansion, even as he emphasised that the future of any society depends on its investment in children.
“A society that neglects its children neglects its future. We must act now to build a generation equipped with values, leadership skills, and a sense of service.
He highlighted specific areas where the law falls short in practice: “The Act prohibits children from hawking or begging on the streets and requires that every child be in school during school hours. Yet, enforcement is weak, and accountability is rare.
“He questioned if rescued out-of-school children are being reintegrated into education or if they are falling back into old cycles of hardship.
Salam further stressed the need for collaboration among government agencies, civil society, and communities to ensure children’s rights are upheld.
He said that CALDEV has implemented programs to mentor and empower children, focusing on leadership education, scholarships, and support for marginalized groups such as out-of-school children and those in orphanages.
“We’ve partnered with institutions like the National Human Rights Commission and the Universal Basic Education Commission to advocate for children and provide educational materials,” Salam said.
He also mentioned distributing 50,000 books to schools nationwide under the African Children Leadership Series.
Despite these efforts, Salam lamented the persistence of children hawking and begging on Abuja streets, stating, “This is far from what the law envisions. We must prioritize enforcement through stronger collaboration.”
Impact of the Leadership Conference
The conference has become a transformative platform, empowering young participants to discover themselves, develop leadership skills, and address real-world problems.
“True education isn’t just about reading and writing—it’s about fostering critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration. Participants leave as ambassadors, training others and creating a ripple effect in their schools and communities,” Salam explained.
The conference’s growing impact has inspired plans for expansion. In 2025, CALDEV will host delegates from other West African countries, starting with Ghana, Gambia, and Sierra Leone.
Building the Next Generation of Leaders
Hon. Martins Etim, Chairman of the House Committee on Youth Development, praised the initiative, which began in 2015, for nurturing leadership potential in children aged 13 to 17.
“Leadership starts with self-discovery. Once young people understand themselves, they can lead their families, communities, and the nation. This initiative is about shaping a generation that will drive Nigeria forward,” Etim said.
The Federal Government has allocated a total of N6,364,181,224 billion for the renovation and rehabilitation of the residential quarters of President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and some of their aides in the 2025 budget proposal.
Sunday PUNCH’s analysis of the proposed allocation, contained in the 2025 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly, showed that the annual maintenance of the Presidential Villa would gulp N5.49bn.
According to the proposed budget, N765m will be used for the renovation of the Vice President’s quarters and guest house.
The renovation of the president’s quarters at the State House will cost N6.39m, while the renovation of security quarters, auditorium, gymnasium and presidential aides’ quarters will cost N49m.
In addition, the renovation of Prescott barracks at Maple State House officers’ mess building and signal office in Asokoro, Abuja will cost N51m.
Further analysis of the budget revealed that Tinubu and his vice are also expected to have N87m as honorarium and sitting allowances, while N127m was allocated for the procurement of SUVs.
Also, N3.66bn was budgeted for the purchase of State House operational vehicles and N1,09bn will be spent on replacement of SUV vehicles at the State House.
Under the budget of the State House Lagos Liaison Office, there is an allocation of N14.72m for the routine maintenance of State House Lagos facilities (Dodan Barracks, Vice President guest houses at Ikoyi, among others).
Another N140.10m was allocated for the completion of renovation and furnishing of the State House annex (Dodan Barracks), Lagos.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government is planning to spend N1.83bn on converting forfeited properties from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission into State House quarters.
The plan to convert forfeited houses from the EFCC comes in the same month that the commission disclosed the recovery of an estate in the Lokogoma District of Abuja, measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 units of duplexes and other apartments.
The commission described this as its “single largest asset recovery” since its inception in 2003.
The estate rests on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09 of the district, and was forfeited in a ruling on Monday, December 2, 2024, by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie.
(Punch)
WHEN we look at this month, USD was traded at ₦ at the beginning of this December on Monday, December 2, 2024. As at today with USD being traded at ₦1,655 we see a % for United States Dollar to Naira exchange rate for this month.
On this page, we are primarily focusing on the Black Market Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate Today, the USD to Naira currency pair are the most traded currency in the FX market.
Black Market Exchange Rates
Buying Rate
Selling Rate
Dollar to Naira 1655 1640
Pounds to Naira 2150 2000
Euro to Naira 1730 1700
Canadian Dollar to Naira 1146 1135
Rand to Naira 52 43
Dirham to Naira 0 0
Yuan to Naira 62 62
G.Cedi to Nair 70 50
CFA F. (XOF) To Naira 0.83 0.81
CFA F. (XAF) To Naira 0.74 0.74
READ ALSO: INSIDE LIFE: 26-Year-Old Lady Died In Bangladesh With No One To Claim Her Body, She Is A Nigerian From Enugu (SEE PHOTO)
Having full knowledge how much USD to NGN black market exchange rate today will give you a better opportunity to plan and make informed decisions.
Nairatoday.com
Passengers of a train plying the Warri-Itakpe route escaped death on Sunday as the train derailed at Okpara in the Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.
It was gathered that the passengers were stranded following the incident that happened at about 10pm.
According to eyewitness accounts, some of the passengers got to their destinations on Monday morning.
“The incident happened at Okpara Station last night. They stole many people’s phones and other valuables when they slept at night,” a source said.
“It’s this morning that everybody began to find their way to their various destinations.”
The Nigerian Railway Corporation confirmed the incident in a statement by its spokesman, Yakub Mahmood on Monday.
Mahmood said the service will resume shortly, adding that a team of engineers is at the site of the incident to ensure the track is restored soon.
According to him, the train service will resume as scheduled on Monday afternoon.
The statement reads in part, “The management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) hereby informs the general public, especially our valued passengers that ply the Warri-Itakpe route, that following the minor derailment yesterday at the Okpara station, the service will resume shortly as our team of engineers are at the site of the accident to ensure the track is restored anytime soon.
“However, Itakpe-Warri (Ujewu) train will resume as scheduled in the afternoon today.
“All inconveniences caused as a result of the minor derailment is highly regretted.”
Renovation: Tinubu, Shettima’s official quarters to gulp N6.36bn
SEE NAIRA Rates Against The USD, GBP, EURO Today December 23, 2024
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