Mr Kogi state Speaker by Bintu Lakwaja

Speaker, Hon. Umar Imam

  The tragic demise of Suleiman Faty, an indigene of lokoja and a graduate of BUK inspired this post. May her soul continue to rest in peace.
Mr Kogi state Speaker, as you've noticed, its tough love from me to you now. This is because you have gradually slipped into that 'dark hole' that consumes almost all our politicians in lokoja. Seeing that you are not representing yourself and the people did not vote you into power to enrich yourself, your aides/friends and your family members or to acquire more Toyota Highlanders, Prado's and Camry's, its not too late to start doing the needful.
I hear you are preparing for some events. If its for the benefit of the people, I wish you success, if its still politically motivated and for the social media, then, you've not learnt anything.
As Kassim Mahmud said in one of his recent Facebook posts: "to whom brain is given, sense is expected".
Now...
Look into the girl child. See what you
can do to improve the lives of the girl child within your constituency. If you look and can't find anything, please, for your sake and ours, read on and see what you can extract and apply.
THE GIRL CHILD INITIATIVE
In our society today, particularly lokoja, girls still face the triple discrimination of being young, being female and being poor. Our girls are pulled out of school, married early and are more likely to suffer abuse/violence and be preyed upon.
Our girls today have less opportunity to get quality education especially tertiary education, they are subject to rape and are exploited everyday. These and other greater challenges continue to be stumbling blocks to our girls in getting a good education and having a voice in the society.
This girl child initiative should be able to encourage 'getting an education' instead of 'getting pregnant' or 'getting high'.
Increase the number of our girls in secondary schools by providing for:
1. A bus or buses with a bold sign; LOKOJA GIRL CHILD INITIATIVE. These buses should provide for free transport for our girls in all wards to and from school.
2. Caters for atleast one(1) meal per day for the girl child and/or stipends as 'break money'.
3. Full scholarship for the girl child all through her secondary school education.
We can increase the number of our girl transiting successfully to higher level of education through:
1. Provision of a fully funded tertiary scholarship for the best and brightest minds. Call it 'Suleiman Faty scholarship'. Honor her.
2. Mandatory skills acquisition under the scholarship programme.
3. Provide laws that protect the girl child from violence and susceptibility to abuse.
The global girl child initiative says: " provide a platform which provides our girls from poor homes, orphans, the opportunity to acquire good education, life skills, work readiness exposure and financial support to escape the cycle of poverty and empower the next generation by recipient girls giving back to their societies."

Contact: Facebook.com/ibn.lakwaja