Former Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has called for increased investment in girl-child education and empowerment, insisting that no girl should be denied opportunities because of discrimination or societal limitations.
Okowa, who is seeking election to the Senate to represent Delta North under the All Progressives Congress in 2027, made the call on Sunday in a statement marking the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.
The former governor declared his unwavering support for girls, saying his commitment was driven not only by his experience as a father of three daughters but also by his belief in their potential to contribute to national development.
“I have always believed in the girl child, and I am unapologetically biased in her favour,” he stated.
The 2026 celebration is themed around ending child marriage and investing in girls’ rights, with renewed calls for greater protection, access to education and opportunities for personal development.
Okowa said governments, families and other stakeholders must ensure that every girl has access to quality education, adequate protection, skills acquisition and the resources needed to become self-reliant.
“No girl should be held back by circumstances, discrimination or limitations imposed by society,” he said.
He added that investing in girls would strengthen families and communities while securing a better future for generations to come.
As governor of Delta State from 2015 to 2023, Okowa established the Girls Entrepreneurship and Skills Training Programme (GEST) under the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Girl Child Empowerment.
The programme trained girls aged between 18 and 30 across the state’s 25 local government areas, equipping them with entrepreneurial skills and support to establish businesses.
According to the statement, 437 of the programme’s 450 pioneer trainees received starter packs to help them become self-reliant, representing a success rate of more than 95 per cent.
The initiative was part of Okowa’s Stronger Delta Agenda, which sought to promote youth entrepreneurship and expand micro, small and medium-scale enterprises across the state.
The former governor urged stakeholders to move beyond celebrating the girl child annually and take practical steps to remove barriers to education, end child marriage and expand economic opportunities for girls.
“On this International Day of the Girl Child, let us move beyond celebrating girls to creating the conditions that enable them to thrive. Every girl deserves the opportunity to become all she is capable of being,” he added.
