The Nigerian Federal Government has urged parents to involve their young children in the manufacturing of items such as matchboxes, toothpicks, cotton buds, and sanitary pads. Minister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye made this announcement during the 2023 Anambra Investment Summit held in the state capital, Akwa, at the International Conference Centre on Thursday.

Kennedy-Ohanenye suggested that Fridays be designated as free days for children to engage in production activities and also advocated for the introduction of urban development concepts in schools nationwide.

The minister emphasized that children in countries like China are actively involved in production, contributing to their significant urban development, and she encouraged Nigeria to follow this example.

She said: “I am pleading for us to look into more production of some of these things in our societies, especially the necessities like the matchbox, the toothpick, the cotton buds, the sanitary pads and stuff like that.

“Let us introduce urban development in the schools, if we can think about using Fridays as free for our children to start producing things just like they do in China. In China, even young kids get involved in production.”

Kennedy-Ohanenye said the Traders Union Association is ready to partner on the initiative so that the products produced by the children can be transported and marketed within the country.

The minister added that the move would check the high unemployment rates in the country and curtail drug abuse among children.

She added: “I was able to speak to the president of the Traders Union Association, and they are ready to partner on this where, when they produce these things, they carry them into a market within our country.

“This will not only create jobs, but we will also stop the issue of giving handouts to Nigerians when they’re supposed to be eating fat.

“We will equally cartel the drug intake of our children because there will be more occupied at school, and we will lead to some productions to start any money on time.

“It will equally cartel the insecurity in our society. Let us help ourselves. If we are hoping for the government to do it all, it will never happen.”