Curtailing the menace of The At Risk children across the country can only be achieved with the support of Traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders who are custodians of the people and culture and eyes of their various communities.
The wife of the Niger state Governor and Founder Raise Foundation Doctor Amina Abubakar Bello disclosed this while declaring open,a Stakeholders workshop on the implementation of AT-RISK CHILDREN PROGRAMME at Harske luxury hotel Minna,Niger state.
Dr.Amina Abubakar Bello said the program was an intervention that offered a multi- dimensional, broad-spectrum approach to the crisis at hand, which include, the search for lasting solution to its nearly 13.2 million out of school children as estimated by UNICEF.
She therefore emphasised the need for traditional and religious leaders to assist identify vulnerable and at risk children for government intervention.
The wife of the state Governor lamented that,the Northern part of the country including Niger state, was more devastated, accounting for 69% of the disadvantaged children scattered across the region.
Dr. Amina Bello, added that, the ARC-P’s would leverage on central coordination of resources, strategies and monitoring to drive targeted ,efficient and cost effective solutions to the distressing phenomenon.
She expressed optimism that the workshop will conceptualise among other things, a cardinal milestone in the journey to implementing the ARC-P in the state.
She then stressed that parents have a very key role to play by supporting their children to embrace the programme with all seriousness, for the betterment of their lives and the society.
Dr Amina Abubakar Bello added that, the ARC-p in the state would leverage on the opportunities of digital innovations,as well as ensure the empowerment of the girl-child and other under represented groups.
The wife of the Governor then advised the stakeholders in the education sector to begin to link the educational curriculum with the right entrepreneurial skills for ease of integration into the job market.
The Founder of Raise Foundation, further assured the commitment of the state government towards innovative approaches to promote inclusion and equity in access to education.
She advised the participants to use the two days workshop to gain valuable insights into what ARC-P represent while helping the state define a clear path on what aspects of the program the state should pursue to remedy the vulnerabilities of children lacking basic social protection across the state.
The wife of the Governor therefore, enjoined all hands to be on deck to ensure the success of the program in the state.
