Ms Obiajulu Ugwu, Deputy Chief Whip, Enugu State House of Assembly, has urged government and parents to prioritise girl-child education for national development.
Ugwu made the call in Enugu while addressing participants at a workshop organised for secondary school students in Enugu South Local Government Area.
She reiterated determination of the state government to ensure women inclusion and gender equality in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The lawmaker added that the state lawmakers are committed to building the capacity of girl-child in order to be approach their life challenges with confidence.
“It is not that we do not have qualified females, but there is need to bring up these young females to the level that is globally accepted.
“Most times, the men think that the women are in competition with them, but in all honesty, it is not competition. What we are coming to do is to complement the men.
“This workshop is focused on personal development, leadership skills and nutrition, providing girls with insights from accomplished women in various fields,” she noted.
The lawmaker noted that the workshop was also a step toward bridging the gender gap in education and empowering future leaders.
She explained that investing in girls is crucial for the development of every society.
A guest speaker at the event, Mr Chukwuma Okenwa, challenged girls to ensure nothing stopped them from developing their capacities.
Okenwa noted that the clamour for inclusion of women into strategic leadership positions would only benefit those who empowered themselves through education, urging them to take their studies seriously.
He bemoaned the conduct of men who intentionally suppressed and prevented their wives from being empowered, adding that such families suffer as a result of such acts.
A nutrition expert, Mrs Onyeka Udegbunam, asked the participants to be mindful of their nutrition, as it contributes to their physical and mental wellbeing.
Udegbunam warned that malnutrition can cause one to have stunted growth when wrongly applied and asked school administrators to reintroduce farm gardens in their various schools
to fight malnutrition
