By Ikenna Uwadileke

Mr Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, says he will be committed to high gender balance and broad inclusion of women and youths if elected.

Obi, in a tweet on Tuesday, also congratulated former finance minister  Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Mrs Amina Mohammed for bagging national honours.

“Today, the status of Nigerian women have been further accentuated with the recognition and bestowing on Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Amina Mohammed the very high national honours of GCON.

“Such recognition attests to their respective contributions, service and role in nation-building.

“I salute both of them. I remain committed to a high gender balance and the broad inclusion of women and youths in my administration,” Obi said.

He said that the unrelenting struggle for a new Nigeria was, among other reasons, the desire to build a better nation where the girl child would be protected, free and safe to live and thrive.

According to him, educating the girl child is imperative and remains critical to transforming our nation and reducing gender inequality.

“Regrettably, females school enrollment has remained poor in many parts of the country, with over 60 per cent of the out-of-school children in Nigeria being females.

“We must, therefore, ensure that the girl child, no matter where she lives, has access to affordable and qualitative education.

“I remain ever committed to building a more secured and productive Nigeria in which the girl child will freely explore and be empowered to live her life to the fullest, while contributing positively to the growth and development of the nation,” Obi said.

He wished Nigerians a happy International Day of the Girl Child. (NAN)