By Stanley Onyekwere
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has emerged the best performing state in child protection and welfare, at the 26th National Council on Women and Child Development, held in Jalingo, Taraba
Dr Idris Attah, Director, Child Development, FCT Women Affairs Secretariat (WAS), disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.
Attah said that FCT recognition followed its successful rollout of structured and measurable frameworks under its women affair’s secretariat.
He added that while national councils emphasised policy design, the FCT stood out for translating federal directives directly into active local community programmes.
He identified several key structural milestones that contributed to the FCT’s high ranking at the event such as successful institutional collaboration and digital birth registration integration.
Other milestones are the implementation of the Child Right Act and active civic and media advocacy.
He dedicated the award to the children of the FCT and to everyone working to ensure their protection, welfare, and development, adding that the achievement reflects strong leadership, teamwork, and partnership.
He attributed the success to the FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s political and unwavering support for child welfare in the territory.
He equally commended the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud for her commitment to women and child development.
He also lauded Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, Director General/Chief Executive Officer, Maryam Babangida Centre for Women Development, for her inclusive legacy in child development as the pioneer Mandate Secretary of WAS.
“We also owed our successes to other management of the secretariat, development partners, regulatory and security agencies and other stakeholders,” he said.
Attah said that the Council brought together all Commissioners of Women Affairs, Permanent Secretaries, Directors of Women Affairs, Child, Gender and Family from the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT.
He added that development partners and stakeholders also attended the event, coordinated by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and chaired by the minister, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim.
He said that the event has the theme, “Strengthening Families and Advancing the Care Economy for Inclusive Development: Operationalising Nigeria’s Renewed Social Protection Architecture”.
The director explained that the 2026 event was organised to build practical and grassroot solutions that reinforce Nigeria’s social protection system.
He added that the delegates focused heavily on reducing poverty, buffering vulnerable families against economic shocks, and addressing the unequal burden of unpaid care work borne by women and young girls. NAN
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