By Gift Chapi Odekina, Abuja

The House of Representatives has issued a clarion call for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s budgeting system to place children at the heart of national development, warning that continued neglect of child-centred policies threatens the country’s future.

This bold stance was declared on Monday at an event marking the 2025 Day of the African Child, organized by Hope Alive Initiative in partnership with Erudie Growth and Advancement Foundation (ERGAF-Africa). The theme of the celebration — “Child Rights-Based Budgeting in Nigeria: The Role of Policymakers” — sparked a rallying cry among lawmakers, educators, and advocates for a paradigm shift in governance.

Speaking at the event, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, emphasized that protecting and prioritizing children is not just moral duty but a constitutional mandate. Represented by his Special Assistant on Women Affairs, Ms. Joy Akut, Kalu called for legislative accountability in ensuring that every Nigerian child is seen, heard, and catered to in national and state budgets.

“Child Rights-Based Budgeting (CRBB) is not charity — it is a constitutional obligation, a development strategy, and a globally accepted best practice,” Kalu declared. “We cannot afford to speak of national progress while our children remain invisible in our policies and underserved in our budgets.”

He stressed that the 10th Assembly is committed to backing this shift through inclusive legislation, stronger oversight, and increased funding for critical sectors like education, nutrition, and healthcare.

“We are already seeing the impact of our efforts — from support for the Child Destitution Bill to pushing for the full domestication of the Child Rights Act. Our goal is simple: no Nigerian child should be left behind.”

Rep. Bamidele Salam (PDP–Osun), Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, reinforced the urgency of the matter. “Every other thing can wait, but child development cannot,” he said. “If there’s anything urgent, strategic, and fundamental — it’s the care and protection of our children.”

In a passionate appeal, the President of Projects Hope Alive Initiative, Dr. Chibuzor Okereke, said the lack of political will has left children marginalised in Nigeria’s budgetary processes.

“What is missing is not knowledge, but deliberate action,” he said. “Until child-centered policies are deeply embedded from the Office of the Budget to the local government level, Nigeria’s development will continue to be stunted.”

He called for a “system-wide overhaul” — urging the Presidency, National Assembly, state governors, and local councils to embed child rights in their fiscal planning. “A budget that ignores children is a budget that fails the nation,” Okereke added.

Also speaking, Alhaji Abdulsalam Zaura, founder of the AA Zaura Foundation, stressed that child rights begin at home and must be reinforced by society and policy.

“Any nation that fails to raise its children properly will never get it right — socially, economically, or politically,” he said, urging parents to be vigilant about the moral and social development of their children.

Mrs. Irene Akerele, Principal of Tudun Wada Government Secondary School, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, echoed the call for a holistic approach, stating that every stakeholder — from policymakers to teachers — has a role to play.

“As a teacher and a mother, I know that a child cannot thrive on hope alone. They need support — from schools, from families, and from the government,” she said. “A national budget that does not reflect the needs of its children is a budget that has abandoned its future.”

She urged policymakers to treat CRBB as a strategic investment. “Every naira we fail to spend on education or healthcare today is a thousand naira lost in trying to fix what we could have prevented tomorrow.”

The 2025 Day of the African Child served as more than a ceremonial reflection — it became a national call to action. As Nigeria faces mounting challenges in education, health, and child protection, the message from lawmakers and civil society was unequivocal: the future begins with how we budget for our children today.