By Egufe Yafugborhi

UYO – THE Coordinator, Office of the First Lady, Akwa Ibom State, Lady Helen Eno Obareki, has urged stakeholders to encourage education and empowerment of the girl child as a strategic investment with high returns.

The First Lady Designate echoed the advocacy Monday in Uyo as the state marked the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child with the theme, ‘The Girl I am, The Change I lead: Girls on the Frontline of Crisis’.

Obareki emphasized that empowering the girl child is crucial for the collective future of the state, noting when a girl’s right to safety, education and health is compromised, it jeopardizes not only her future but the future of the entire state.

“Strategic investments in a girl’s dignity, her education, her empowerment will yield returns across health outcomes, economic growth and generational stability.

“We must understand that when a girl’s right to safety, education and health is compromised, it is not just her future that is jeopardized, but the collective future of our state.”

Obareki attested to Akwa Ibom state’s commitment to boosting the girl child empowerment through efforts of Governor Umo Eno and the Golden Initiative for All (GIFA), a pet project of the Office of the state’s First Lady at translating global goals for girl-child empowerment into tangible local impact.

She said, “Under the ARISE Agenda of our Governor, Pastor Eno and through the commitment of the Office of the First Lady, we are dedicated to dismantling barriers against the girl child growth.

“Our pet project, the GIFA) which I am privileged to Chair has been strategically designed to ensure that the global goals for girl-child empowerment are translated into tangible local impact.

“Through GIFA, the initiative is making targeted investments in enhancing leadership, learning, and economic empowerment for girls.”

She called on stakeholders, including government agencies, community leaders, parents and teachers to renew commitment to the girl child and her advancement. 

Obareki urged girls to embrace their strength, own their voice and never stop learning, emphasising that they are the heartbeat of progress and leaders the world is waiting for.

Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor,

Senator Akon Eyakenyi urged girls in the state to prioritize education in their lives.

She informed that the child right law domesticated in the state will help in protecting children from exploitation.