By ABDULKABIR MUHAMMED

A non-governmental organization, Forum for Child Rights Promotion (FORCHI), has called on the federal government to earmark specific funds to cater to the welfare of the average Nigerian child. According to a statement signed by Executive Director of the group, Stacey Ukaobasi, and dated September 24, 2025, the funds should "cover the distribution of relief materials, provision of food relief, and payment of educational costs for Nigeria’s most vulnerable children, especially those in orphanage homes and children who are out of school."

FORCHI lamented that there had been a decrease in the national budget allocation to the health and education sectors. They also argued that the "insufficient and inefficient" public spending contributed to Nigeria's poverty index.

"In Nigeria, around 70 million children face multiple deprivations due to insufficient and inefficient public spending. Over the past seven years, Nigeria's allocation of federal funds to the health and education sectors as a percentage of the overall budget has dropped, dipping below the benchmarks set by the Abuja and Incheon declarations. The health sector funding now falls below 15% and the education sector receives less than the recommended 15-20% allocation," the statement reads in part.

While commending the federal government's initiative of disbursing poverty alleviation funds to the poor through the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office, the NGO has called for transparency and accountability in the process, arguing that a "transparent approach will restore public confidence and provide the integrity and credibility that the current relief distribution system desperately lacks."

FORCHI has specifically singled out the orphanage homes and the out-of-school children as the most deserving of the safety-net initiative.

"While this initiative is commendable, we believe that a significant portion of these funds should be allocated to support vulnerable children in Nigeria, particularly those in orphanage homes and those who are out of school," they argued.

To lend credibility to the initiative, FORCHI has suggested that the government allocate 10 per cent of the funds to registered and accredited orphanages governed by social welfare practitioners.