The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has selected 10 local government areas in Kano state for the implementation of its programme in 2018.

The UNICEF Chief of Katsina Field Office, Mrs Padmauathi Yedla disclosed during a meeting with the Kano State Government officials in Kano on Friday that the Fund would implement its programme in the areas of addressing malnutrition in children, provision of safe drinking water, health, education as well as improving access to girl-child education.

“We are going execute our education programme in six local government areas while the other programmes will be carried out in all the 10 LGAs,” she said adding that the selected local government areas include Bichi, Dawakin Tofa, Nasarawa, Kano Municipal, Ungoggo, Gaya, Takai, Sumaila, Danbatta and Gwarzo.

She said the UNICEF team had been in Kano state for five days. “We visited the selected local government areas to develop the 2018 programme. We also sat down with the officials to finalise arrangement for the take-off of the programme,” Padmauathi said.

She added that the ‘State Engagement Plan’ was expected to be signed by the Kano State Government and UNICEF officials on Wednesday next week to formalise the agreement.

Speaking, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Murtala Sule-Garo said the state government would collaborate with UNICEF in four key areas this year.

He listed the areas to include: education, Nutrition, reducing early marriage as well as on routine immunization.

The Commissioner added that the Fund had also agreed to select five local government areas to provide 100 additional boreholes in each of the areas.

“They have given us the criteria for selection of the areas which include population, N1 million counterpart funding and presence of other International Development partners.

Chairmen of the 10 local councils attended the meeting.