Uko Okon
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has urged parents and guardians to ensure their children stay away from antisocial tendencies such as cultism. The Governor made the statement during Tuesday’s 2025 National Children’s Day Celebration at Uyo Township Stadium.
The theme of this year’s celebration, organised by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, was “Stand Up, Speak Up: building a bully-free generation.”
Eno, represented by the Commissioner of Education, Professor Ubong Umoh, called on all stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and community leaders, to play their roles in moulding a tall and proud generation.
“As we mark this day, I urge parents to ensure that their children stay away from antisocial tendencies such as cultism,” he said.
He highlighted the administration’s investments in education, including constructing model schools, providing modern facilities, and distributing shoes, uniforms, and books to students.
The Governor also emphasised the importance of equipping children with skills such as entrepreneurship and technology to enable them to compete globally.
“For us, the strongest tool to give our children for tomorrow is education and other skills like entrepreneurship and technology, so that they may compete with their counterparts nationally and on the global stage.
“The administration has built model schools across the state in just two years with modern facilities; we have gone ahead to provide shoes, school uniforms, and books to encourage them in their learning.”
The Governor emphasised his administration’s efforts to strengthen the Child Rights Law, with legislation and sanctions in place to protect children from abuse and molestation.
In her welcoming address, the Commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Inibehe Etikudo, urged the children to remain committed to their studies in preparation to take over as tomorrow’s leaders and innovators.
She assured that her ministry would continue prioritising children’s welfare through lofty policies and programmes that would boost their development.
