Zamfara Partners UN Agencies To Improve Citizens’ Wellbeing

Zamfara State government has ensured a robust collaboration with United Nations agencies and other donors for effective implementation of programmes that would improve the wellbeing of citizens.

The state commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Abdulmalik Abubakar-Gajam, who disclosed this to newsmen in Sokoto, said the state was confronted with myriads of challenges and needs collaborative support while the donor agencies were chased away by the past administration.

“When the incumbent administration assumed duty, Governor Dauda Lawal made a strategic approach to address the challenges by inviting agencies and strengthening relationships.

“Zamfara State had designed a Medium Term Expenditure Framework (M-TEF) for the first time and is collaborating with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on a 10-year-strategic plan to develop the state.

“The present administration declared a state of emergency on health, education and agricultural sectors with higher budget allocations.

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“The education sector obtained about N55 billion allocation to ensure that more than 20,000 students sitting at home without writing final year secondary school examination got the opportunity.

‘’A model Almajiiri school was inaugurated by the present administration within a short period to address the issue of out-of-school children and increase enrollment,’’ he said.

The commissioner added that there was no functional general hospital or equipment when they took over with a dearth of manpower and expertise making patients to die due to poor services.

‘’Only 108 medical doctors cater for 5.8 million people in 147 political wards of the state before Lawal’s administration. However, the present administration allocated N33 billion to health, which has translated into upgrading many primary healthcare centres to General Hospitals and transforming many to state-of-the-art health facilities,’’ he added.

He further explained that 19,000 farmers were supported with inputs, 600 communities benefited with livestock business support while 10,000 persons obtained N50, 000 cash transfers to enhance their livelihoods.