Gombe Gov Applauds UNFPA, Norwegian Govt for Supporting Girl-child Education
The Bauchi State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya has commended the Norwegian Government and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for supporting girl-child education and implementing other healthcare programmes in the state.
He spoke while receiving in audience a joint UNFPA/ Norwegian Government delegation on a courtesy visit at the Government House recently.
Yahaya expressed satisfaction with the UNFPA- supported projects’ impact in improving the lives of women and children, girl-child education, gender equality and succour to the displaced persons.
He noted that the influx of displaced persons from insurgency ravaged states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe have over-stretched several public facilities in Gombe, as such more needs to be done by government and partners to address the problems.
“Donor agencies and development partners have wonderfully done well in Gombe State, but I still urge them to do more, so as to strengthen us in accommodating the displaced persons because they are Nigerians and must be accommodated no matter what, considering the circumstance that led to their relocation from their immediate communities and ancestral homes.”
He regretted that many development partners do not see Gombe as one of the frontline states in the northeast, stating however that the impact of insurgency in the state is glaring considering the continuous influx of displaced persons into the state some of whom have already made up their minds not to go back to their states.
The governor revealed that the state government in a joint effort with the World Bank supported Better Education Service Delivery for All project (BESDA) was able to mop up about 140,000 of the 550,000 recorded out-of-school children in the state from August- December 2019.
“By the records of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Gombe State alone has over 550,000 out-of-school children, but I believe we have more and 60 to 70 per cent of them are girls.
The governor said retaining and giving the enrolled children quality education to uplift their lives is key.
He stressed that his administration is addressing the huge infrastructural deficit in the education sector, while also making efforts to revamp the sector and improve the quality of education at all levels.
In their separate remarks, the UNFPA Deputy Representative, Erika Godson and the First Secretary, Norway Embassy, Mari Lundeby commended the governor for his commitment in addressing maternal health and other development issues while restating their resolve towards enhancing girl-child education and working with the state in addressing high maternal mortality rate among other challenges.
KEHINDE OMORU
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