UNICEF rates 20 Kebbi councils worst in child poverty, protection

The United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has said of the 21 local councils in kebbi State, 20 are consistently rated worst in child poverty and protection.

Representative of UNICEF field office in Sokoto, Dr. Danjuma Nehemiah, stated this yesterday at a two day state engagement planning workshop in collaboration with Kebbi State Ministry of Budget and Planning.

According to its statistical index, it said Argungu was the only Local Council rated good category on the index, while Zuru and Fakai council were in the medium.

Nehemiah who represented the UNICEF Sokoto Field Officer, Mr. Paul Mudzongo, said Aliero,  Kalgo, Birnin Kebbi, Yauri, Suru, Danko Wasagu and Sakaba councils were rated bad while Shanghai, Ngaski, Dandi, Bagudo, Koko Besse, Jega, Augie, Maiyama, Gwandu and Bunza were rated consistently worst in the child poverty index.

He added that Kebbi was one of the 13 states in the country with high child poverty rating.

He noted that the state’s engagement planning session was aimed at helping the state out of the child poverty problem issue so that the children could live a better life.

Nehemiah said UNICEF and the Kebbi State Government would work out ways to address child poverty and protection in the communities.

Speaking, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Muhammad Jalani Yauri, who represented the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Babale Umar Yauri, queried the yardstick used by UNICEF on the child poverty index rating for the state.

He said: “I want to request that in future, UNICEF should make a copy of its programme available to the supervising ministry in the state so that we can make adequate preparations for it.”