Bauchi Elects 4th Nigerian Children’s Parliament Executives, Urges Members to Champion Child Rights

By Uzairu Dauda Bunga

The Bauchi State Government has elected a new executive of the 4th Nigerian Children’s Parliament, with a call to champion issues affecting children’s education, health, protection, inclusion, and overall well-being across the state.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Dr Lydia Haruna Tsammani, made the call during the induction and orientation of the newly elected parliamentarians held at the Development Exchange Centre DEC, Bauchi.

The Commissioner who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Hajiya Talatu Musa Gar, urged the young legislators to serve as true representatives of all children, especially those whose voices are rarely heard, including children living with disabilities, girls, those in rural communities, and other vulnerable groups.

She reminded the parliamentarians that their responsibility goes beyond leadership positions, stressing the need for them to be bold, respectful, and attentive to the views and concerns of children in their schools and communities.

Speaking on the overview of the Nigerian Children’s Parliament, Abubakar Muhammad Inti described the parliament as a representative body operating across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, providing children with a platform to engage government officials and policymakers on issues affecting their peers.

He said the parliament, established in 2000, was created to nurture leadership qualities, promote good governance and responsible citizenship among children, and provide a formal avenue for their participation in national discourse.

Muhammad Inti encouraged the newly elected members to always speak on behalf of other children whenever they engage with leaders and policymakers.

The newly inaugurated Bauchi State Chapter of the 4th Nigerian Children’s Parliament will be headed by the Speaker Hafsat Umar Muhammad.

In her acceptance speech, Hafsat Umar Muhammad pledged to serve as a worthy ambassador for the children of Bauchi State and to work diligently towards achieving the objectives and goals of the Nigerian Children’s Parliament.