By Hussaini Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring that every child in the state has access to quality education, healthcare, protection and opportunities for growth, regardless of gender, religion, disability, ethnicity or socio-economic background.
The Deputy Governor, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, stated this on Saturday while representing Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf at the 2026 International Children’s Day celebration held at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano.
The event was held under the theme, “Future Now: Promoting Inclusion for Every Nigerian Child.”
Speaking at the occasion, Garo said the theme underscored the need to invest in children through education, care, protection and equal opportunities to secure the nation’s future.
According to him, inclusion is not merely a policy objective but a fundamental right that must be guaranteed for every child.
“The theme reminds us that the future of our nation depends on the opportunities, care, protection and education we provide to our children today,” he said.
“Inclusion is not merely a policy objective. It is a fundamental right and a moral responsibility that we owe every Nigerian child, regardless of their background or circumstances.”
The deputy governor noted that children remain the foundation of sustainable development and future leadership, adding that the state government was committed to implementing programmes that would ensure that no child is left behind.
He said the administration of Governor Yusuf had continued to invest in education, strengthen child protection mechanisms, improve healthcare services and create an enabling environment for children to realise their full potential.
“Our administration remains committed to policies and programmes that will guarantee access to education, healthcare, protection and opportunities for every child. We want every child in Kano to learn, flourish and contribute meaningfully to society,” Garo said.
He urged children to embrace hard work, honesty, respect and patriotism, assuring them that their voices and talents were important to the development of the state and the country.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Children and Persons with Special Needs, Hajiya Amina Abdullahi, commended the state government for expanding social protection programmes targeted at vulnerable children and persons living with disabilities.
She appealed to Governor Yusuf to inaugurate the Kano State Child Protection Committee to facilitate the effective implementation of the Child Protection Law.
“Through the effective implementation of the law, issues such as child begging and the plight of street-connected children can be addressed more effectively, ensuring that every child benefits from meaningful interventions regardless of social background,” she said.
The commissioner also called for the enactment of an Orphanage Bill to strengthen child welfare and address child abuse, trafficking and the proliferation of illegal orphanages.
She advised children to remain focused on their education, respect their parents and teachers, and avoid drugs, violence and other social vices.
Delivering a lecture at the event, Dr Sulaiman Isyaku emphasised the importance of nutrition in child development.
“The food you eat determines how you think. Your thinking determines your actions, your actions determine your progress, and your progress determines the progress of your state and nation,” he said.
“If Kano State succeeds in safeguarding children’s nutrition, then we can confidently say that inclusion has truly been achieved.”
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Association of Private Schools Proprietors in Kano State, Imam Ahmad Zubair, commended the state government for involving private schools in the Children’s Day celebration.
According to him, it was the first time private schools had been fully involved in the annual commemoration in the state.