The UNICEF has set a target of attracting additional one million girls to school in five northern states under the third phase of its Girl Child Education Project‎.

The Chief Field Office UNICEF Kaduna, Mr Utpal Moitra, stated this on Wednesday at the flag off of the 2015 Enrollment Drive Campaign in Minna.

“Let me emphasize that the GEP 3 project has a target of attracting additional 1 million girls to school from the 5 GEP states of Niger, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara and Bauchi.

“One of the mechanisms of achieving this target is through the yearly enrollment drive campaigns done under the auspices of the ministry of education and the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB),” he said.

Moitra noted that the overall goal was to improve social and economic opportunity for girls in northern Nigeria.

“The overall goal of the Girl Education Project is to improve social and economic opportunity for girls by attracting more girls in target states in northern Nigeria.

“It is my believe that with commitment of the state government, all education stakeholders would be more committed to this exercise,” Moitra said.

He called on the Niger State Government to invest heavily in girl child education so as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s)‎.

In his remarks, the state deputy governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ketso, who flagged off the campaign, restated the state government resolve to an improved and all inclusive access to qualitative education at all levels.

“I wish to re-affirm the commitment of this administration in prioritizing the provision of accessible and quality education.

“This administration shall continue to collaborate with international development partners and other key stakeholders towa‎rds building one of the most viable educational system in the country by 2020,” he said.

NAN reports that the Girl Education Project, being implemented by UNICEF, with DFID support, was introduced in 2005‎.