The Zamfara State Government has taken decisive steps to improve the welfare of its youngest and most vulnerable citizens by launching a comprehensive set of initiatives developed with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
New Strategies for Child Welfare
On Tuesday in Gusau, the state government officially unveiled two critical strategic documents. The first is a five-year Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) strategy on child nutrition, which will run from 2025 to 2030. The second is a detailed plan for implementing the state's alternative childcare guidelines. These initiatives are designed to tackle malnutrition and standardize care and protection for children across Zamfara.
The Deputy Governor, Mani Malam Mummuni, represented Governor Dauda Lawal at the unveiling ceremony. He was joined by the UNICEF country representative, Mrs. Wafaa Saeed Abdelatef, who led her team on a courtesy visit to the state governor.
Strengthening Partnerships for Greater Impact
During the event, Deputy Governor Mummuni expressed deep appreciation for UNICEF's long-standing partnership. He reassured the gathering of the state government's commitment to creating an enabling environment and providing institutional support to ensure all joint programs yield a meaningful impact.
"Your support has continued to complement our administration’s rescue and development agenda," he stated, highlighting areas like addressing the needs of displaced children, increasing school enrollment, expanding immunization coverage, and improving rural service delivery.
Adding to this, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Malam Abubakar Mohammad Nakwada, called for deeper collaboration with UNICEF in three priority areas to fast-track results for women and children. These include building child-friendly model classrooms, establishing child-friendly healthcare facilities in the state's three senatorial districts, and strengthening evidence-based data generation.
A key proposal is the conduct of a state general households survey in the 2026 fiscal year to generate reliable data for better public-sector planning and resource allocation.
Commissioning a Centre for Survivors
In a related development, the state government commissioned a Sexual Assault Referral Centre at King Fahad General Hospital in Gusau. The centre, named after the state's First Lady, Her Excellency Hajiya Huriyya Dauda Lawal, will offer a lifeline to survivors of sexual assault by providing integrated medical, psycho-social, legal, and livelihood support.
This commissioning underscores the administration's dedication to enhancing its response to gender-based violence and helping survivors access essential services. UNICEF's country representative, Mrs. Wafaa Saeed, commended Governor Lawal's administration for its leadership, specifically noting the prompt payment of N500 million in counterpart funding for the nutrition program and its commitment to providing human resources in the health and education sectors.
