 has emphasized the need for greater financial investment in social sectors to tackle the issues of multidimensional and monetary){kind=link}
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has emphasized the need for greater financial investment in social sectors to tackle the issues of multidimensional and monetary poverty that impede overall development in various parts of the country.
The Chief of UNICEF’s Sokoto Field Office, Mr Michael Juma, made the call at a five-day workshop on Monday in Sokoto.
The workshop was organized by the Sokoto State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning with UNICEF’s support through the European Union – Sustainable and Innovative Social Protection Project.
The Newsmen reports that the workshop focused on developing three-year Medium Term Sector Strategies (MTSS) 2026-2028 for Health, Education, Social Protection, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Sokoto state.
Juma, represented by Mr. Isah Ibrahim, Social Policy Specialist in UNICEF, said even with increase in annual budgets by different states, poverty and the lack of basic services were still rising, especially among vulnerable households in Northern Nigeria.
” This troubling trend of multidimensional and learning poverty has escalated over the years, which requires collective action by the government, private sector, and community members to address, ” he said.
While commending the Sokoto State Government for its commitment to social protection programmes, Juma urged for increased financial provisions and effective implementation of budgets aimed at child-focused initiatives.
He highlighted that initiatives should includes; cash transfers, social health insurance, malnutrition prevention, and support for out-of-school children.
He also stressed the importance of creating a conducive environment for basic health care and education services.
Juma called on the Sokoto State Government to effectively leverage the support it is receiving on its commitment to transition from traditional mode budgeting to programme-based budgeting, a shift that UNICEF is assisting in nine states across the federation.
In his remarks, the State Commissioner of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr Abubakar Zayyana, commended UNICEF for its continued support to the state aimed at achieving the state development goal in the state.
Zayyana emphasized that MDAs’ budgets should be based on their programmes and activities to align with the government’s nine-point smart agenda.
He noted that ambiguous budgets or those designed without proper planning would no longer be acceptable.
According to him, the importance of programme-based budgeting in achieving desired goals and emphasized the need for teamwork to move the state to greater heights.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Wurno, urged the Directors of Planning of the Ministry and its parastatals to make good projections based on the objectives and programs of the ministry.
” This will enable the development of a realistic, purposeful, and evidence-based budget for the 2026 physical year, ” he said.
Wurno described MTSS as a critical step in improving the state budget and warned that any submitted budget proposal not aligned with the ministry’s objectives and programs would not be included.
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