Kano state government’s care of orphaned children from Borno

2 February 2016

It would be recalled that in April 2015, at the twilight of Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the then governor of Kano’s administration, Kano state government set up a special boarding primary school in Kano to take care of orphan, internally displaced children of the Boko Haram insurgency from Borno state. Our movement commended the outgoing governor and urged others to emulate his administration’s care and kindness.

During an inspection of the school’s facilities in last week, the present Kano state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, not only expressed satisfaction at the school’s facilities, and how it is run, he added that the initial number of 100 pupils would be doubled. Not done, he publicly committed that ‘the state government would sponsor the education of the orphans up to university level.’

We heartily commend Kano state government for policy consistency on this issue. What would otherwise have been reported is that the facilities had deteriorated, and that the state was unable to continue caring for these innocent, vulnerable ones.
This model boarding primary school is run with support and donations from the private sector as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Of 3.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria according to the official records — the highest in Africa and third highest in the world — 68% are children. 45% of IDP children are orphans.

We have maintained that all children, (especially the vulnerable ones) are our children. It is our duty as a society therefore to prioritise their safety and welfare. Our missing 219 Chibok girls for instance are a symbol for the all unsafe, vulnerable, disadvantaged; especially women and children wherever they are.

We strongly commend Kano state government, and recommend that their empathy and kind-heartedness be emulated; not only by governments; everyone has a role to play.

Signed:
For and on behalf of
#BringBackOurGirls

AISHA YESUFU
OBY EZEKWESILI
HADIZA BALA USMAN