The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), says it has planned to expend N110 million for 10,200 poor and vulnerable women and children in Kebbi, to enable them to access free healthcare services.
The Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Sokoto, Mr Michael Juma, made this known during a courtesy visit to Gov. Nasir Idris in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.
“The UNICEF plans to pay capitation fees worth N110 million for 10,200 poor and vulnerable women and children to enable them access free healthcare services in the state.
“The UNICEF has established a Nutrition Match Funding Mechanism of 100,000 US Dollars which requires Kebbi to provide 100,000 US Dollars to be used for the eradication of child malnutrition in the state through policies and programmes implementation,” he said.
Juma appreciated Gov. Idris for dedicating two courts within the state capital, Birnin Kebbi, that would attend to all child rights violation cases, particularly gender-based violence (GBV).
He assured the governor of UNICEF’s commitment to provide support in ensuring that the two courts (overseen by a male and female judge) meet the global standard protocol for a child-friendly court.
“UNICEF wishes to appeal to the governor for the establishment of a pilot Child Friendly/Family Court in the state to improve access to justice for children in conflict/contact with the law and those children in need of care and protection in line with the State Child Protection Law 2022,” he said.
On polio, Juma decried that the state was at high risk of polio reinfection through outbreaks.
“We would like to thank the governor for his efforts to fight polio and improve public health services.
“We will also encourage him to continue to demonstrate leadership and oversight through actions that reflect the Revised Abuja Commitments,” the CFO appealed.
Responding, Gov. Idris, commended UNICEF for its complementary efforts to the people of the state through different programmes and activities aimed at improving the well-being of women and children of the state.
He expressed his commitment to providing any financial support or counterpart funds for the benefit of the Kebbi populace.
Idris also requested the UNICEF office to liaise with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to come up with a clear plan of areas that required the state’s commitment for his approval and implementation.
He assured UNICEF that his door would always remain open for any discussion or collaboration that would bring desired results to the people of the state.
“I want to tell you that the state government is ever ready in any area that you want to assist us because what you have been doing complements our responsibility for the benefit of the people of the state.
“We will not hesitate, where government counterpart funding is needed, I want to ensure you that Kebbi government would come in to provide the necessary financial support for better services to our people.
“Our people first, as far as this administration is concerned.
“We have already assured Kebbi populace that we are going to use their resources judiciously to ensure that they have the impact and dividends of our administration.
“Open defecation is another area of my administration’s priority to curtail cholera and other disease outbreaks.
“Recently, I have also provided quick response intervention funds to the relevant government institution to manage the reported cholera outbreak in the state,” the governor said.
The governor used the occasion to sign the State Food and Nutrition Policy Bill before the UNICEF team during the courtesy visit.
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