Niger govt, UNICEF sign last trench of N646.4m MoU

From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna.

The Niger state government and UNICEF has signed the last trench of four years work plan of N646.4 million Memorandum Of Understanding from 2014 – 2017.
According to the Dr Idris Baba who signed on behalf of UNICEF Field Office Kaduna said that the signing was to have more commitment to the people of the state and the work plan is to guide implementation process.
He stressed the need to improved on the health and educational status of the citizens just as the state out of the five states of the federation were beneficiaries of the Programme.
UNICEF noted that the signing of the MOU with the state government was aimed at ensuring budget provision for the children and women in the state, reiterated that its ready to match any amount released by the state as counter fund.
Dr Baba who advocated for more legislator and commitment of the state government for effective and efficient implementation of its Programme.
He however added that UNICEF to intervene in additional 467 primary and 214 secondary schools for improved the quality and facilities of education in Niger state just as the IFAD partnership to be sustained.
In his remarks, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State has assured to fulfilled the obligations of the state charged on UNICEF to intervene in the infrastructural facilities of the schools in the state that are in deplorable state.
Bello who lamented over the decayed structures of schools ad inheritage in the state saying that the state is carrying out overhaul schools renovation approach in nine schools out of 57 boarding schools decried inadequate resources.
He hinted that plans are underway to build a standard primary health care facility in each of the 274 wards of the state to the sum of N30 million each while facing the challenge of funds.