United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, and Katsina State government have signed a three-year work plan to enhance the wellbeing of children in the state.
Chief of Field Office, Kano, UNICEF, Mr Rahama Mohammed-Farah made this known at the signing of the plan in Katsina, yesterday.
The UNICEF chief said the work plan was not just a document, but a testament to the shared vision for a brighter future for every child in Katsina State.
Mohammed-Farah, who was represented by the Health Manager, Dr Sereke Seyoum-Deres, said the work plan covers the health, nutrition, education, child protection, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, WASH, sectors, and social policy.
“Children are the future of this great nation and investing in their wellbeing is not only a moral imperative, but a strategic decision that will yield long-term dividends for the state’s development,” he said.
The field officer said polio virus remains a significant threat to children’s health in the state, adding that “eradicating it must be our top priority in 2025.
“We must dedicate all our efforts and resources to mobilising communities, raising awareness and ensuring that every corner of Katsina is reached.
“The aim is to encourage parents to vaccinate their children.
“The Katsina State government must take the lead at the ward, district and local government levels to address vaccine refusals,” he added.
Mohammed-Farah urged the state government to leverage its own resources, explore public-private partnership and strengthen community-based initiatives to ensure that no child is left behind.
On reducing the growing number of out-of-school children, he said government should improve the quality of early learning and increase school readiness from the primary school level.
He said UNICEF would remain committed to supporting the state government to ensure that the remaining seven local governments attain Open Defecation Free, ODF, status, so as to be declared an ODF state.
In his remarks, Governor, Dikko Radda said the partnership underscored government’s commitment to improve the lives and wellbeing of children in the state.
He said government would continue to focus on children’s education, in recognition of the critical role it plays in nation building.
Radda added that his administration had expended over N100 billion in the education sector on teachers recruitment, support to science and technical education, scholarship award and schools construction among others.
