By Abbas Bamalli
Katsina – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Katsina State Government have signed a 3.5 million U.S. dollar Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to enhance primary healthcare services in the state.
The UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, disclosed this during a meeting with Gov. Aminu Masari and stakeholders in Katsina on Friday, March 18.
Hawkins said, “Two weeks ago, you and I signed an agreement for $3.5 million for the engagement of primary healthcare in 2022.
“And I would like to do the same thing with you to build the system that is fragile at the movement, that is education.
“If we can build primary healthcare in Katsina, we can also build basic education to give children not only the advantage, but also inspiration to be able to become economic revivalists in the state.”
He explained that UNICEF would reinforce its commitments to education and its security in the state, saying that they are very committed to what happens in Katsina State, especially on education.
Hawkins applauded the state government’s commitment to girl-child education, data information and school-based management committee.
According to Hawkins, the above-mentioned are the ways of bringing security and learning closer to rural dwellers.
He also commended the immediate response of Gov. Masari during the abduction of 344 students of Government Science Secondary School Kankara.
Hawkins explained that such a response had shown the commitment of the governor to the revival and sustenance of the educational system in the state.
He, therefore, solicited for a sustainable partnership between the state government and UNICEF in the areas of security and investment to cater for the education of girls and provide efficient healthcare services in the next five years.
In his response, Gov. Masari commended UNICEF for its support to the state, especially in the area of education and healthcare services.
He assured of sustaining the collaboration by providing the necessary support in both the education and health sectors.
The delegation led by the Head of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria, Mohammed Yahya, earlier met with pupils of Abukur Primary School, including religious and traditional leaders of the community.
During the interactive session in Abukur, the delegation checked the improvement of pupils in terms of equitable access to education, literacy rate (RANA MODEL) and safe school initiative. (NAN/vitalnews)
