Read President Muhammadu Buhari's Children's Day Message to the Nation

Read it below...

I heartily greet and felicitate with all Nigerian children on
the occasion of this year’s Children’s Day celebration. I seize
the opportunity of this year's celebration which comes just
two days before the first anniversary of the present
Administration, to reassure our children and youth that we
remain fully committed to fulfilling our promise of a better
Nigeria for all of our people.

On this happy occasion for our children, I reaffirm my belief that it
is the right of every Nigerian child to have access to quality and
affordable education, as well as healthcare and other basic
necessities for a good life, in a peaceful and secure environment.
The good health and well-being of Nigerian children remain a top
priority on our agenda for national development and we have
demonstrated our strong commitment in this regard with the
allocation of N12.6 billion in the 2016 budget for vaccines and
programmes to prevent childhood killer diseases such as polio,
measles and yellow fever.

Other measures in the 2016 budget, such as the school feeding
programme for children at a cost of N93.1 billion, will ensure that
more children go to school and enjoy the fun of learning and
growing together with their peers.

Despite the current economic and funding challenges facing our
dear nation, my administration will continue to do all within its
powers to achieve better living conditions and greater access to
quality healthcare and education for all our youth. It is a thing of
joy that on this year's Children's Day, we can also celebrate the
safe return of one of the Chibok girls, Amina Ali Nkeki and many
other abducted women and children who have been freed from the
clutches of Boko Haram by our gallant troops.

I assure all Nigerians and friends of the country, once again, that
my administration will not rest on its oars until the ungodly terrorist
sect is totally eliminated from our country.

As peace gradually returns to the insurgency-ravaged North-
Eastern States, the Federal Government will continue to work
diligently to ensure the rapid and full reintegration and
rehabilitation of all internally displaced persons, including
orphaned children in the region.

We will also sustain and strengthen ongoing actions to protect
children more effectively from violence, child-labour, child-
trafficking, forced marriages and other related offences.
In return, I urge you all to imbibe and exhibit in greater measure,
the virtues of hard work, diligence, discipline, honesty, prudence,
selflessness and patriotism which are essential for the actualisation
of our vision of a truly great nation.

The world now looks up to our dear nation, Nigeria as an exemplary
model of democratic ideals after the smooth transition that brought
our Administration to power.

You, our children and youth have a very significant role to play in
ensuring that our democratic institutions of governance are
continuously nurtured, improved and strengthened to underpin
national development and prosperity.

Remain assured that under my leadership, the Federal Government
will continue to do its best to prepare and equip you to show the
world that with its brilliant, resourceful and resilient people,
Nigeria is a country of incredible potential and opportunity.
I wish you all a Happy Children’s Day celebration.
Muhammadu Buhari
President
Federal Republic of Nigeria
May 27, 2016