The Katsina State Government has received crucial support from UNICEF to enhance resource allocation for its Social Protection (SP) programs. This was revealed by the state’s Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Bello Kagara, during the opening of a five-day stakeholder workshop in Zaria.
The workshop, organized by the ministry in collaboration with UNICEF, aims to develop and cost annual operational plans for SP initiatives across the state’s Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for 2025.
Represented by the Director of Social Protection in the ministry, Tijjani Umar, Kagara emphasized that the operational plan would provide a strategic roadmap for MDAs to ensure the effective implementation of SP programs.
He credited Governor Dikko Radda for his commitment to social welfare, particularly for approving the establishment of a dedicated Social Protection department within the ministry and endorsing the training of SP officers to improve program delivery.
Kagara also revealed that a draft bill to establish a Social Protection Agency in Katsina State, created with UNICEF’s support, is now ready for sponsorship in the State House of Assembly.
This legislative push aligns with the governor’s vision to ensure sustainable funding for SP programs through proper legislative oversight. A legislative Social Protection forum was recently inaugurated to promote this objective.
“The ministry, with the support of UNICEF, has initiated quarterly meetings of the Social Protection Technical Working Group, where MDAs report on their progress in implementing SP programs,” Kagara said.
The workshop, according to Kagara, aims to clarify key SP concepts, identify existing SP interventions in the state, and ensure that appropriate budgetary provisions are made for these interventions. The workshop also focuses on enhancing the technical capacity of participants to develop a costed operational plan for SP initiatives.
In his remarks, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Ibrahim Safana, commended UNICEF for its ongoing support in helping the state implement various developmental activities.
Safana, represented by the ministry’s Director of Finance and Accounts, Abdul Usman, noted that the operational plan would serve as a tool to guide effective resource allocation and mobilization for the delivery of SP services across the state.
He added, “The contents of this plan will also aid in preparing the 2025 budget estimates and help tag activities related to SP in the budget for various MDAs.”
