BY CHIJIOKE CHARLES
The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator Ireti Kingibe, has called for urgent action to ensure that every African child has access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities, describing them as fundamental rights essential to children’s health, education, and future development.
Speaking at the National Assembly during the commemoration of the 2026 International Day of the African Child Tuesday, Kingibe stressed that children should be able to focus on learning and personal development without worrying about basic necessities.
Addressing a gathering of students from various schools across the FCT and stakeholders, the senator said children represent Nigeria’s future leaders, including doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists, senators, and presidents.
“Water is life. Sanitation is dignity. Hygiene is health,” she declared, noting that the absence of clean water, proper toilets, and handwashing facilities in schools negatively affects children’s education and wellbeing.
Kingibe emphasized that access to clean water and sanitation should not be treated as privileges but as rights. She pledged that the National Assembly would continue to push for laws, budgetary allocations, and policies that guarantee safe and healthy learning environments for children across Nigeria.
“We cannot build a great nation if we do not build clean, safe environments for our children to grow and learn,” she said.
The Woman lawmaker further encouraged children to dream big and remain committed to their education, assuring them that leaders have a responsibility to provide the infrastructure and support necessary for them to succeed.
Representative of the Director General of NAPTIP, Dr.Ebele Ulasi, linked child welfare to broader challenges confronting African children, particularly human trafficking, child labour, child marriage, and exploitation.
According to her, children constitute a significant percentage of victims of human trafficking across Africa, making child protection a critical component of national development efforts.
“The future of any nation that does not plan strategically for its children will be bleak, hopeless, and full of despair,” she said.
Ulasi described this year’s theme — ensuring universal access to water, sanitation, and hygiene for every child in Africa as timely and crucial, stressing that adequate WASH facilities are essential for children’s health, dignity, and overall development.
She commended the Senate Committee on Women Affairs for drawing national attention to the issue and urged governments, civil society organisations, development partners, and communities to work together to improve access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
NAPTIP noted that protecting children requires a collective effort, adding that the government alone cannot achieve the goal of ensuring quality sanitation, hygiene, and water access for every child.
The International Day of the African Child is observed annually to promote the rights, welfare, and development of children across the African continent while highlighting challenges affecting their wellbeing.
This year’s celebration focused on expanding access to water, sanitation, and hygiene services as critical tools for safeguarding children’s health and creating better opportunities for their future.
