By Abdullahi Inuwa
In a powerful call to action, UNICEF has declared that “child-sensitive budgeting is no longer optional—it is Katsina’s only path to a prosperous future.” Speaking at a one-day Media Dialogue on Child-Sensitive Budgeting and Planning, Mr. Rahama Rihood Mohammed Farah, Chief of the UNICEF Field Office in Kano, presented alarming statistics on the plight of children in Katsina and urged state authorities to take urgent action.
Farah didn’t mince words. “One in six children in Katsina dies before age five. Over half are stunted. Nearly a third are out of school. These figures are not just data—they are a damning verdict on our current investment priorities,” he said.
With over 4.5 million children out of an estimated 9.64 million residents, children form the backbone of Katsina’s present and future. Yet, UNICEF revealed that budgetary allocations for the social sector have sharply declined—from 38.57% in 2016 to a dismal 12.98% by 2020.
“This isn’t charity. Investing in children is Katsina’s most strategic move,” Farah stressed, proposing reforms like explicit child-focused budget tagging, equity-driven funding, inter-ministerial coordination, and transparent tracking of every Naira allocated for children.
The dialogue, organized by UNICEF in collaboration with the Katsina State Ministry of Budget and Planning, brought together policymakers, civil society organizations, and media professionals to drive collective advocacy.
Welcoming participants, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Planning reaffirmed the state’s commitment: “We will ensure all MDAs include meaningful child allocations in the 2026 budget. Our children must be visible in every page of our fiscal plans.”
UNICEF’s message was clear: Neglecting children today is mortgaging Katsina’s future. With the Child Rights Act already domesticated in the state, stakeholders were urged to back words with funding.
“Every Naira lost is a child denied. The time for rhetoric is over. The time for budgetary action is now,” Farah concluded.
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