The Ogun State Government has promised to focus on the training and empowerment of the girl child, through qualitative education and skill acquisition programme on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), for them to be better adult.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Abosede Ogunleye, dropped this hint today at Abeokuta Grammar School, Idi-Aba, during a forum tagged; ‘Girls Lives Matters’, organised by the Ministry in collaboration with the winner of 2021 Miss Teen Africa, Rebecca Adeniyi.

Ogunleye, represented by the Director of Education Support Services (ESS), Mrs. Bamidele Makinde posited that women and girls were most vulnerable to social vices and disasters that happened around the world, such as communal crisis, war, terrorist attacks and banditry, hence the need to defend themselves and their children against unpleasant occurrences.

She noted that girl child could be source of transformation to build and re-build the society, if were given levelled play ground to maximise their potentials, saying “what women and girls face in time of crisis is better imagined than being told, especially during war, terrorist attacks and other social vices. Infact, they should be empowered to develop relevant skills needed for proper upbringing”.

In her presentation, the guest speaker, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Akinsanmi enjoined girls to maintain healthy eating habits and hygiene, form reading group, avoid drug addiction and bad company, adding that they should not be distracted by growth and development in their body structure.

Earlier in her remarks, Miss Adeniyi, an indigene of Ogun State, urged young girls to avoid low self-esteem, be proud of themselves, study hard and take up future challenges.