Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation.

In the transformation from a rural to an urban society, children are - though they might not agree - robbed of the opportunity to do genuinely responsible work.

Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear.

If there is education, there will be everything in life. Government can make roads, hospitals and also construct school buildings. But your homes can brighten up only if your children are educated. I am confident that if we focus on education, our society will certainly develop.

The Children's Hospital will be a credible demonstration of the commitment of African leaders to place the rights of children at the forefront. Nothing less would be enough.

A new society cannot be created by reproducing the repugnant past, however refined or enticingly repackaged.