By Bashir Adefaka

Dr. Muhammed Salisu of the Department of Paediatrics, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), has charged governments at all levels to live up to their responsibilities.

Speaking during the maiden edition of the celebration of Commonwealth Day organised by Crescent school, Victoria Island, Lagos, recently, Salisu who listed some of the rights of the child as   right to life, right to good name, right to being registered at birth, right to education and right to balanced development among others, maintained that it was an impeachable offence to fail in delivering on these rights to the Nigerian child.

“In America the day you are born you are given a name, you are registered and you are given social security. Also education of a child is compulsory and so it should be free at least to the primary level.

“You and I know that the Nigerian government has failed in fulfilling this responsibility towards the the children. The reason is that we, ourselves, don’t even know that the rights exist neither do we even know that they are the responsibilities of the government. The people in government usually give excuses of no money but the fact is, failures to provide those rights for the Nigerian child is impeachable offence.

Earlier, the Head of Schools, Alhaji Sikiru Sarumi said, “One of the advantages of the Commonwealth Day is the fact that our children will learn more about the Commonwealth and inculcate some of her values which include: human rights; protecting the environment; access to health education, food and shelter; gender equality; importance of young people; tolerance, respect and understanding; peace and conflict resolution; freedom of expression and rule of law,” all of which he said were embedded in the Holy Qur’an and Hadiths, hence making it mandatory for all children to inculcate them in their habit and behaviour.

Speaking on behalf of the parents, Hajia Khadijah Ahmed expressed satisfaction with the performance of the school.

In attendance were teachers, students and their parents that thousands of children and other young people from various schools and colleges representing over thirty countries in the world were taking part in the Monday’s event at the same time it was held in Crescent.