By Mubarak Aliyu kobi
Bauchi State has received commendation from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for demonstrating strong commitment to children’s rights and welfare.
The praise came during a courtesy visit by the new UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, Mrs. Wafaa Saeed Abdullatif, to Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed at the Government House, Bauchi.
Mrs. Abdullatif explained that UNICEF’s mission in Nigeria is to guarantee every child a healthy start in life, access to quality education, nutrition, and protection from harm, while also building resilience against insecurity and climate shocks.
She described Bauchi’s contributions to the Child Nutrition Fund as exemplary, noting that it sets a standard not only for Nigeria but for other countries.
The UNICEF representative further lauded the state’s initiatives to reduce the number of out-of-school children, stressing that access to education is crucial to addressing early marriage, improving health outcomes, and ensuring brighter prospects for the youth.
In his remarks, Governor Bala Mohammed welcomed the visit as a sign of confidence from development partners. He highlighted progress made in collaboration with UNICEF since 2019 in areas including immunization, nutrition, maternal and child healthcare, water, sanitation, and education.
He revealed that the government has committed ₦872 million as counterpart funding for the 2025 Primary Healthcare MOU, in addition to ₦300 million earmarked for nutrition, and has also paid its ₦132 million contribution to the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.
Governor Mohammed outlined further interventions in the health sector, such as 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, the governor acknowledged persistent challenges, noting 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 enrollment and retention. He appealed for stronger community involvement to address these barriers.
Governor Mohammed reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to strengthen ties with UNICEF, describing the agency as a critical partner in aligning Bauchi with international standards in health, education, and social services.
