UNICEF, Jigawa Achieve Major Milestones in Child Welfare, Development

By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

The partnership between Jigawa State and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has led to impressive progress in key areas of nutrition, water and sanitation, health, education, and child protection.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Yusha’u Muhammad Jaji shared the success story at the 2024 end-of-year review meeting and 2025-2027 work plan consultation held at the Manpower Development Institute in Dutse.

Jaji indicated that Governor Malam Umar Namadi led Government prioritized human and infrastructural development, ensuring timely release of counterpart funds for all development partners.
He emphasized the state’s 12-point agenda, which has been instrumental to the delivery of tangible results for the people of State.

UNICEF’s Chief of Kano Field Office, Mr. Rahman Farrah, and UNICEF Education Specialist, Mr. Michael Banda, spoke highly of the partnership’s impact. Farrah noted significant progress, including a reduction in out-of-school children, improvements in water and sanitation, a decline in malnutrition, and advancements in health, child protection, and poverty reduction through cash transfers.
The review meeting also assessed achievements, identified challenges, and laid the foundation for future priorities. For 2025-2027, UNICEF planned to focus on community engagement to ensure sustainable outcomes, with an emphasis on reducing maternal mortality, increasing immunization rates, and enhancing birth registration.

Future efforts will also prioritize tackling child poverty through conditional cash transfers and ensuring that every child, especially those at risk, has access to education and healthcare opportunities.