As Nigeria joined the rest of the continent to mark the Day of the African Child, child rights advocate and Director of Facado Orphanage Home, Abuja, Ngozi-Anih George, has urged Nigerian leaders to prioritise children in budget planning and implementation.
Speaking during an event held in Abuja to commemorate the day, which was themed *“Planning and Budgeting for Children’s Rights: Progress Since 2010,”* Ngozi-Anih criticised the nation’s slow progress in fulfilling commitments made over a decade ago to place children at the centre of national development.
“As someone who works closely with children every day, especially those who have lost parents or been abandoned, I understand better than most that a child without family is not a child without hope. But that hope must be supported—not just with kind words, but with real action, careful planning, and responsible budgeting,” she said.
Ngozi-Anih stressed that children’s welfare should be viewed beyond basic shelter, calling for broader support including education, healthcare, and protection from abuse. She emphasised the need for inclusive policy frameworks that allow vulnerable children to thrive.
“I have seen miracles happen when communities, governments, and organisations come together with one goal: to protect and uplift children. But I have also seen the painful reality when children are forgotten—treated as afterthoughts rather than future leaders,” she stated.
She called on government officials to include children’s voices in decision-making and to ensure that the most vulnerable—particularly orphans and street children—are not excluded from national development.
“Investing in children is not charity—it is a responsibility. Every coin spent on a child is an investment in Africa’s future strength, peace, and progress,” she noted.
Two children who participated in the event also shared their experiences. Favour Ugwuagbo expressed disappointment that the celebration lacked real benefits. “The celebration doesn’t really have any impact on us—the children,” she said.
Another child, Jaybee Wealth Ben, criticised the government’s failure to support children in orphanages. “Many of us are going through serious pain and challenges. Some of us have finished WAEC but have no resources to further our education,” he said.
He urged the government to back such events with concrete actions like scholarships and aid packages. “On days like this, scholarships could be awarded to orphans, or practical help given to the less privileged,” he added.
The Day of the African Child, commemorated annually on June 16, honours those who lost their lives in the 1976 Soweto Uprising and seeks to highlight the ongoing need to improve the welfare and rights of children across Africa.