Global Affairs Canada and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have pledged to recommit to multi-million-dollar interventions across different sectors of the Bauchi State economy to drive necessary development.
The head of Development Corporation at the Global Affairs Canada, Canadian Embassy in Nigeria, Arash Irantalah, who led a team of international donors, made the commitments in Bauchi during a five-day working visit to Bauchi State. He described the State as a strategic partner in health, agriculture, gender, education and other thematic areas.
Irantalah, who visited three local government areas of the state to inspect the multi-million dollar projects the Embassy has sponsored, applauded the state, traditional institutions and implementing partners –UNICEF, Plan International and MEDA for effective execution of development interventions.
While in Dass, he monitored the activities of the community health mobilisers (Mama-To-Mama), the adolescent health group, and the champion of change in the local government, and expressed satisfaction, saying that the government of Canada would sustain its support for projects capable of impacting the lives of Nigerian people.
“We have supported in strengthening the community structure, like Mama-To-Mama and Fathers-4-Good Health and others. These groups are very important at the community level for spreading health messages. We have seen great progress, thanks to the leadership of these groups. From our side, they have full support and we will continue to focus on Bauchi as one of the important states and one of the progressive states in the country.Also speaking, Rownak Khan, the Deputy Country Representative, UNICEF Nigeria, commended the state for its consistency in allocating 15 per cent of the budget to healthcare, adolescent empowerment, women’s development, and healthcare service delivery.
Khan commended the state for its efforts to promote women’s responsibility for their well-being by seeking medical attention at hospitals, attending antenatal care, and delivering at hospital facilities. “As you know, a lot of women in Nigeria die during pregnancy and childbirth.”
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State said that over 16,000 women have benefited from projects of Global Affairs Canada and UNICEF. He noted that some of the projects have developed a saving culture for women and youths, and in the process, strengthened dialogue in communities and families about risks surrounding early and forced marriage.
“The livelihood and Nutritional empowerment project that has provided technical support towards improved livelihood targeting a population of 10,000, which is 60 per cent women and rural farmer households through increased farm productivity, enhanced market access, and better nutrition for the vulnerable”.
The guardian
