Zamfara awards N8 billion contract

IN a bid to improve routine immunisation coverage in Zamfara, particularly among underserved communities, the state government has awarded a contract worth N8 billion for the electrification of 172 communities to be connected to the national grid so as to improve on the potency of vaccines before being administered on beneficiaries.

This was announced Wednesday by the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Muhammad Muttaka Rini, at a one-day review meeting on Zamfara routine immunization basket fund with 14 local council chairmen of the state and other stakeholders, supported by Save the Children.

He said the decision by government to link additional communities that are underserved with routine immunisation programmes with national grid was informed by the recent development in the power sector, saying that millions of naira was spent by past and present governments for improvement of cold chain solar refrigerators but with poor sustainability outcome.

The Guardian observed that at the end of the meeting, two committees were set up to facilitate the efficiency of the State Basket Fund system; a four-member committee headed by the special adviser to facilitate the release of 72 months outstanding state contribution (20 percent) to the state basket funding (N873,900.00 per month totaling N62,920.800.00) while the other five-member committee is headed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health to follow up for timely request for the timely release of monthly State Basket Funds contribution with effect from November 2015.