Kaduna State Government says it will partner with UNICEF for a comprehensive quality service delivery to the people in the areas of health, education and nutrition.

The state deputy governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, said this while receiving the UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Mr Peter Hawkins, on Friday.

Balarabe said Kaduna State Government is a strong unit of human capital development where its citizens are top priority.

“We are looking at all issues under human capital whether it is health, education and other related areas,” she said.

The deputy governor noted that the state has a policy council that meets every two weeks to deliberate on the issues.

She said the state government would do more on childhood immunization, adding: “We are still not there in water and sanitation.

“Last year, we had an outbreak of cholera but we do not want this again, we will let people know that they should ensure they keep their environment clean and not to openly defecate.

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“We want to have all our communities open defecation free, we have about four LGAs now certified open defecation free but we want to have the remaining 19 to also be certified.”

Balarabe added that Kaduna State has always been a data state because “without data much cannot be done, even planning cannot be a realistic plan.”

“We drive ourselves to ensure that we get data that is reliable and realistic and we can say it’s reasonably realistic and we can base our planning on that,” she said.

The deputy governor further expressed the gratitude of the Kaduna State Government to UNICEF for its support in many areas.

Earlier in his remarks, UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Mr Peter Hawkins, said the visit was about partnership between UNICEF and Kaduna State Government.

Hawkins said UNICEF will continue to partner with the state government with focus on children, health, education and protection, and education for the children on the street and Almajiris.

“They will be working with the team on documentation and identification of beneficiaries while exploring  different ways of ensuring safe schools and safe school initiative in Kaduna,” he said.

The Star