Segun Awofadeji in Gombe
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has re-echoed the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report, which stated that “Gombe State has the lowest poverty rate in North-east Nigeria.”
This was re-echoed by the Social Policy Specialist, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Mr. Yusuf Auta, in his goodwill message at the commencement of a five-day workshop on the development of implementation plan and costing of Gombe social protection policy, which was organised by the Budget Planning and Development Partner Coordination Office, Gombe State, in conjunction with the UNICEF.
Auta said that Gombe State is one of the states with the lowest poverty rate in the North-east according to the 2019 Poverty and Inequality in Nigeria by the NBS.
He explained that the figures were also captured in the state’s social protection policy document, adding, however, that there is multi-dimensional poverty among children in Gombe State like the rest of states in Nigeria.
According to him, a child is multi-dimensionally poor if deprived in any three of the following: nutrition, health, water, sanitation, education, housing and information.
He commended the Gombe State Government for developing the policy document, adding that it would place the state on the path of growth and development.
He said: “With the effort of the state government as clearly expressed and envisioned in its social protection policy document of providing ‘Better life for all.’ the children of the state will grow in an environment that will enable them to compete favourably with children all over the world.”
He also said that the policy would promote the well-being of children and women in the state if implemented, adding that the “UNICEF is happy to be part of this process because it affects the lives of women and children. UNICEF pays attention to women and children because it is the credo of development.”
Auta said while assuring the state that the UNICEF would continue with its technical assistance to address some of the policy’s issues, that “social protection policy provides the platform for UNICEF to support women and children to have a better life.
“So, we are here to come up with an implementation plan, which will be in accordance with the budget provision of the state.”
The meeting had participants from government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), traditional institutions, development partners, academia and the media, among others.
