Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Dr. Mainasara Umar Kogo, has called for the creation of a Ministry for Boys to address the systemic neglect of the male child in Nigeria’s development priorities.

Kogo noted that boys deserve equal attention and investment as girls, adding that societal balance and leadership depend heavily on the quality of upbringing given to male children.

He stated this during an event to commemorate the International Day of the Boy Child organised by the Great Achievers Initiative for Youth and Community Development (GAIYD) in Abuja.

According to him, boys are the future leaders and nation-builders, yet they often lack dedicated structures to support their development and protect their rights.

He stated that while women and girls have benefitted from progressive declarations like the Beijing Declaration and the establishment of ministries dedicated to their affairs, the boy child continues to be overlooked.

The CCT chairman said, “If I should advocate for a Ministry for Boys, I wouldn’t like to see a situation where somebody aged 50, 60, or 70 becomes minister for that ministry.

“It should be exclusively for boys. Unlike what we are seeing today, somebody who is above the age of youth, by the NYSC Act, will be calling himself a young man and will be enshrined with that responsibility.”

While noting the need to invest in male children’s health, education, and psychological development from birth, Kogo decried the failure of some state governments to domesticate the Child Rights Act.

According to him, governors just need to amend culturally or religiously sensitive areas instead of rejecting the law outright.

“We do see every day from this part of the country going down to the southern part, trailer loads of children taken down there. This is an area where NAPTIP and the relevant governmental agencies should be up and doing. This is where the governors should be up and doing,” he said.

The CCT chairman warned that neglecting the boy child could lead to societal consequences, including increased recruitment into violent groups like bandits and Boko Haram.

He said that social justice, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution, must be enforced to ensure an equal opportunity regardless of background, adding that sections 14 through 24 of the Constitution demand action against injustice and discrimination.