Former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has urged parents and guardians to uphold good moral values in their daily pursuits and pass them on to their children.
According to the former governor, to avoid social unrest and other vices, parents must continually engage their children on the consequences of bad behaviour.
Kalu, who is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), called on parents to adopt family planning as a way of preventing unwarranted pregnancies and ultimately unintended births.
In a goodwill message signed by his Special Adviser, Kunle Oyewumi, in commemoration of this year’s Children’s Day, Kalu charged government at all levels to adopt child-friendly programmes, pointing out that children of today are the leaders of tomorrow.
He said: “As we mark this year’s Children’s Day, I recognise and celebrate children across Nigeria. Children are integral part of the society and as such, they deserve to be acknowledged and celebrated today and always. They are the future of the world and it is high time we started integrating them into policies that will translate into sustainable development.
“We, as parents, must live by example so that our children can emulate us and sustain our good legacies. We must educate, guide, support and mentor children, both biological and foster, so that we can build a decent society. It is only through good moral upbringing that a child can be valuable to himself/herself and the society at large.”
The former governor while charging parents to spend valuable time with their children, stressed that children, regardless of age, need proper guidance and counseling at all times.
Kalu also encouraged children to engage in various sporting activities, while urging government to build recreational facilities for children in schools and public areas.