UNICEF commends Bauchi govt for contributing to child nutrition fund

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has described Bauchi State’s contributions to the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) as exemplary, setting a standard not only for Nigeria but also for other countries.

The commendation came from UNICEF’s new Country Representative in Nigeria, Mrs. Wafaa Saeed Abdullatif, during her official visit to Bauchi State on Tuesday. She praised the state for demonstrating strong commitment to children’s rights and welfare.

As part of her visit, Mrs. Abdullatif paid a courtesy call on Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed at the Government House, Bauchi.

She explained that UNICEF’s mission in Nigeria is to guarantee every child a healthy start in life, access to quality education, adequate nutrition, and protection from harm, while also building resilience against insecurity and climate-related shocks.

The UNICEF representative further commended Bauchi’s efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children, stressing that access to education is vital in addressing early marriage, improving health outcomes, and creating brighter prospects for young people.

In his remarks, Governor Bala Mohammed welcomed the visit as a sign of confidence from development partners. He highlighted the progress made through collaboration with UNICEF since 2019 in immunization, nutrition, maternal and child healthcare, water, sanitation, and education.

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The Governor disclosed that his administration has committed ₦872 million as counterpart funding for the 2025 Primary Healthcare Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), in addition to ₦300 million earmarked for nutrition. He added that the state has also paid its ₦132 million contribution to the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.

He outlined further interventions in the health sector, including the construction of 50 new Primary Healthcare Centres, rehabilitation of three general hospitals, supply of equipment to over 200 PHCs, recruitment of 1,600 health workers and 100 doctors, and the introduction of a new salary package to retain professionals.

On education, Governor Mohammed acknowledged persistent challenges. He noted that while over 7,000 classrooms have been built and the rate of out-of-school children has dropped by 40 percent, poverty, cultural norms, and child labour still hinder enrolment and retention. He appealed for stronger community involvement to address these barriers.

The Governor reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to strengthen ties with UNICEF, describing the agency as a critical partner in aligning Bauchi State with international standards in health, education, and social services.

He appreciated UNICEF and other donor partners for their support in enabling the state to deliver on its health mandates for sustainable growth and development.

Governor Mohammed further noted that since inception, his administration has consistently prioritised budgetary allocations to health in line with the Abuja Declaration. He stressed that Primary Healthcare Centres have been constructed in every political ward across the state to mitigate healthcare challenges.

He assured that Bauchi State will continue to work closely with UNICEF and other partners to implement policies and programmes in line with global best practices.

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