The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has called on Nigerian children to focus on making their future worthwhile and shunning social vices which have the potential of affecting their lives negatively.

MOSOP also congratulated Nigerian children on this year’s Children Day celebration, wishing them hitch- free activities.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Sunny Zorvah, MOSOP told the children that annual event offers them an opportunity to have fun, relate with one another and be heard by various institutions and the government.

“On the part of the children, we urge you all not to engage in consumption of hard drugs or alcohol and to shun all acts of violence capable of destroying the society and your future”, MOSOP President, Legborsi Pyagbara emphasized.

The Children Day celebration, although, an annuity, comes with a sober reflection on how better the condition of the children and  the families of these children are, how they are faring educationally, socially, emotionally, physically and economically.

“The essence of this day should not be ignored as it is about the recognition of the rights, freedom and well-being of the Nigerian child, and we urge not only the government but parents and the families to ensure these children are given the best of education and moral upbringing for them to have meaningful life and for the society to be a better place.”

“We call on the Nigerian authorities not to use this day to make promises that will not be fulfilled and to stop paying lip service to issues of great importance to the lives of our children and the families. The government and other institutions need to take issues concerning the Nigerian children serious and not to push them to the wall.”

MOSOP also called on the Nigerian government to use this opportunity to sign on to and domesticate relevant laws, policies and charters that guarantee the survival and well-being of the children.

It stressed that “the government, as its primary responsibility, should take the security of lives of the Nigerian citizens, including children, as top priority. This is one way we can better celebrate a day like this.”

It described the theme for this year’s event, “End Malnutrition: Protect the future of the Nigerian Child”, as apt, noting that it recognizes the fundamental principles of the Convention on the Rights of the child, a major provision in the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003, which gives equal opportunity to all children, without discrimination.

MOSOP has over the years acknowledged the indispensable role of our young ones and have been mainstreamed into the programmes of some of our affiliated bodies, the Federation of the Ogoni Women Association, FOWA, and the National Union of the Ogoni Students, NUOS.