UNICEF Frowns At Diversion Of Nutrition Supplements In Sokoto

United Nations Children Fund, UNICEF, chief of Field Office in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Micheal Juma, has frowned at the alleged diversion of nutrition supplements in some communities in Sokoto State.

Juma, who expressed this concern at the quarterly policymakers’ meeting, urged community members and stakeholders in the healthcare sector to intensify vigilance against the diversion of prepared nutrition supplements in the state.

Represented by Abraham Mahama, Juma noted that the nutrition supplements were provided by donors and distributed to healthcare centres in different communities to enhance the lives of malnourished children.

He lamented, “Some bad elements in the system connived with traders and sold the supplements to unintended persons.

“The supplements were openly sold in markets. While investigating the designated stores, UNICEF discovered that personnel stocked cartons of supplements with stones and other objects to cover their nefarious acts.

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“Indices on healthcare Infrastructures, power and water supply, competent healthcare workers, and clients not trusting service providers along with others were not encouraging in the state.

In his presentation, the UNICEF Social Protection Specialist, Mr Isa Ibrahim, dwelled on the state’s 2024 budget performance areas that need alignment, such as the nutrition sector, which recorded zero allocation, along with some areas recording high concentration of capital expenditure, which has less impact on the citizens.

Ibrahim also anchored Juma’s call for appointing a substantive statistician general in the state to harness data prudence and accessibility using standard systems.

He explained that the objectives of the quarterly meeting were sensitising stakeholders on activities, advocating increased inclusion of children in policies, prioritising joint partnerships, and advocating optimum data usage and budget performance.

Earlier, the Sokoto State deputy governor, Idris Gobir, assured the government of maximum support for all donor agencies’ activities, describing the presentations as an awakening call to government officials to amend anomalies.