UNICEF, Katsina Sign $3.5m MoA to Boost Healthcare
Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Katsina State Government have signed a $3.5 million memorandum of agreement (MoA) to boost primary healthcare services across the state in 2022.
The UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, disclosed this in an interactive session with Governor Aminu Bello Masari and stakeholders on security challenges in the state at the Government House, Katsina.
The foreign delegation led by the Head of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria, Mohammed Yahya, earlier met with pupils of Abukur Primary School, religious and traditional leaders of the community in the school.
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.
At the Government House, Hawkins said: “Two weeks ago, you and I signed an agreement for $3.5 million for 2022 on primary healthcare and I would like to do the same thing with you to build the system that is fragile at the movement i.e. 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 revivals in the state.”
He reiterated that UNICEF would reinforce its commitments to education and security of education in the state, saying: “UNICEF is very committed to what happens in Katsina State, particularly on education.”
Hawkins, however, applauded the state government’s commitment to girl-child education, data information and school based management committee which, he said, are the ways of bringing security and learning closer to rural dwellers.
He explained that the eloquent response of Governor Masari during the abduction of 344 students of Government Science Secondary, Kankara, has shown his commitment 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 be able to cater for the education of girls and provide efficient healthcare services in the state in the next five years.
