Prioritise Children’s Well-being In Budget Planning – UNICEF

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has urged Oyo State government to prioritise children’s well-being in budget planning and implementation.

UNICEF’s southwest representative, Ms Cristian Manduate, gave the charge during an engagement with accounting officers in the UNICEF line and MDAs and other relevant stakeholders, organised by the Oyo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning in Collaboration with UNICEF, held at the Ibadan Business School, Old Bodija, Ibadan.

She lamented that half a million children lack access to basic services such as water, nutrition, health and education.

Ms Manduate emphasised the need to ensure children’s rights and fair chances in the state, just as she called for intensified efforts to make sure budget disbursements effectively reach children in need.

“Our role as UNICEF is to ensure we support a better understanding of what children are for a country. Oyo State is a priority state for UNICEF and as a focus state, we have a long-standing relationship with the government of Oyo State.

“UNICEF is here to support the Oyo State government to develop their budget planning and implementation in support of children’s access to basic social services,” she said.

She noted that the state government has long collaborated with UNICEF on economic planning, budgeting, and implementation, adding that the state has witnessed positive results from the collaboration.

Munduate stressed the importance of continued efforts, which she said: “We still have half a million children in the state who are deprived and need to be lifted out of poverty, who need to have access to basic social services. We will be there until the children are lifted out of poverty.”

Declaring the event open, the state’s head of service, Mrs Olubunmi Oni, who was represented by the permanent secretary, Service Matters, Mr Paul Oyekunle, reiterated the state government’s commitment to children’s rights and well-being.

“The administration of Governor Seyi Makinde has been an advocate for children’s emancipation. The state government will continue to pursue policies that will aid children in the state for a sustainable future for them,” she said