By: Monday Munkaila, Gombe
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has commended Gombe State Government for its commitment to Child Nutrition through the implementation of the various resolutions reached during engagements for the cause of women and children.
The Bauchi Field of UNICEF made the commendation through the Chief of Field, Dr Nuzhat Rafique during the opening of 2-day Advocacy meeting organized in collaboration with the State Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), for Councils Chairpersons, Secretaries and Heads of Administration as well as Directors, held on Wednesday in Jos.
According to her, “Today is a very special day for me because it provides another opportunity for us to come together to discuss issues affecting the well-being of children and mothers in Gombe State. I will reiterate that nobody can beat Gombe State in terms of commitment, passion, timely action, and the active participation of its people.”
She stressed that,”Gombe is one of the best states I have seen in Nigeria in this regard, and I sincerely congratulate the government and people of the state. May Allah continue to give you the courage, discipline, and commitment to remain among the best-performing states in Nigeria. Today is particularly important because we are revisiting the issues discussed last year, including the commitments contained in the communiqué issued at the end of that meeting.”
Nuzhat Rafique added, “I would like to appreciate the Gombe State Government for contributing to the Child Nutrition Fund. The supplies have already arrived in the state and are being utilised to support children in need. However, the formal handover will take place on the 19th of this month, and I will be returning to Gombe for that occasion.”
“These interventions are extremely important because they directly affect the health, nutrition, and survival of our children. Gombe State is also among the very few states in the country that have conducted a household survey. This is another significant achievement and a feather in the state’s cap,” She added.
The UNICEF CFO said that,”The survey provides us with data across all local government areas, enabling us to identify areas where child health indicators are weak and where children are most vulnerable to poverty, deprivation, and other challenges.”
According to her, “We have discussed these issues on several occasions, and today we will once again engage stakeholders to better understand the situation of children in the state. We want to hear what you know about the challenges facing our children, the issues that require urgent attention, and the possible solutions we can implement during the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.”
She stressed that,”We must explore innovative ways of working together to improve the lives of mothers and children. Unfortunately, despite our commitments and the considerable efforts being made, the indicators are not improving as expected. I reviewed the data yesterday, and Stanley and Yusuf will share further details with you. The information points to a deterioration in the child poverty situation.”
She stressed,”We must therefore take these findings seriously. We need to identify the underlying problems, understand why progress has been limited, and collectively determine practical and sustainable solutions. UNICEF remains committed to standing with Gombe State in advocating for and protecting the rights of every child.”
She added, “Another key focus of UNICEF’s work in Gombe State is the first 1,000 days of a child’s life. This approach recognises the importance of providing essential services from pregnancy through the child’s second birthday. It encompasses a broad range of children’s rights and essential interventions, including birth registration, immunisation, breastfeeding, complementary feeding, access to safe water and sanitation, and education.”
According to her, “Through this continuum of care, beginning with conception and pregnancy and extending through the first two years of life, we aim to ensure that every mother and child is healthy, well-nourished, protected, and able to reach their full potential.”.
She further said, “Our collective goal is to ensure that every mother and child has access to their rights and to essential services of the highest possible quality. That is the agenda before us over the next two days. I encourage everyone to participate actively, share relevant information, and contribute practical ideas that will help us achieve better outcomes for children and mothers in Gombe State.”
In his welcome address the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Sunday Michah Hamma, said that the meeting was very important on the premise of investing in results for children, particularly the collective commitment to the First 1,000 Days initiative, saying, “In essence, our focus should not be merely on how much we allocate to programmes for children, but on the tangible results we achieve from the resources invested in their well-being and development.”
According to him, “This engagement comes at a very important time, as the welfare of our children remains central to the development agenda of Gombe State. It provides us with an opportunity to reflect on our current efforts, strengthen our commitments, and, most importantly, agree on practical actions that will translate our policies and financial resources into measurable results for children and families across our local government areas.”
The Commissioner added, “When we invest in our children today, we are developing our future. Ultimately, the benefits of these investments will extend to society as a whole, because the children we nurture and empower today will become the adults who contribute to our collective progress tomorrow.”
Sunday Michah then appreciated UNICEF for its continued partnership and technical support in advancing the important agenda just as he also commended the local government Chairpersons and Health Administrators for making time to participate in the crucial dialogue.
“As the tier of government closest to the people, local governments have a pivotal responsibility to translate our commitments to children into adequately financed, accessible, and accountable services at the community level,” he added.
Speaking on behalf of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Gombe State chapter, Egla Idris, Executive Chairperson of Billiri LGC, described the malnutrition problem in the State as alarming and must be curbed.
She said that the Chairpersons are ready to cooperate with UNICEF and other donor agencies in tackling the problem of multidimensional poverty in fighting malnutrition and other issues of family health.
Egla Idris commended UNICEF for facilitating the advocacy meeting which will afford them the opportunity to know the actual position of things and how to effectively navigate it.
In their separate remarks, the Permanent Secretaries of Ministries of Budget and Economic Planning and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, commended UNICEF for organising the workshop agreeing that it came at the right time.
