Katsina Govt to Partner Donor Agencies on Skills Acquisition
Francis Sardauna
Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has assured that his administration will continue to partner with international donor agencies to enhance technical support to the skills acquisition centres established by the state government in the state.
He said the state government recently completed the rehabilitation of five skills acquisition centres in the state, adding that three additional centres are also being given attention to make them functional.
Masari was speaking when he received the United Nations (UN) women's representative in Nigeria, Ms Comfort Lamptey, and Deputy Country Director of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Joerg Kuehuel who paid him a courtesy call at Katsina State government's Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.
According to the governor, a UK-based organisation, Department for International Development (DFID), had pledged to fully equip the rehabilitated skills acquisition centres throughout the state.
He expressed happiness with the resolve of the envoys to work in collaboration with his wife, Hajiya Zakiyya Aminu Masari through the NGO, she established, Women, Youth and Children Empowerment Initiative to alleviate the plights of the vulnerable.
He said the APC-led administration in the state would also support programmes introduced through the NGO to improve the socio- economic well-being of women, youths and children in the state.
Earlier, the UN women's representative in Nigeria, Ms Lamptey told the governor that the courtesy call was a follow up to a meeting between them and his wife, Hajiya Zakiyya Aminu Masari, the Founder of Women, Youth and Children Empowerment Initiative.
She said during the meeting, the two envoys vowed to collaborate on ways to strengthen support to Vesico Vaginal Fistula, VVF, centre in Katsina, the launch of HeforShe campaign in the state and support to women political participation towards 2019 elections among others.
While appealing to Governor Masari to provide a skills acquisition centre where they could provide technical support to women, youth and children, Ms Lamptey assured that they would visit Katsina again to finalise documents for enhanced collaborative efforts.
Also speaking, the Deputy Country Director of UNDP in Nigeria, Mr. Joerg Kuehuel told Governor Masari that such collaborative efforts existed between Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe states in the North-east as well as Kaduna being the only state in the North-west.
Mr. Joerg Kuehuel therefore expressed hope that the meeting with the governor would cement the initiative started with his wife to enhance the status of women, youths and children in Katsina State.
On her part, the state Director of Schools, Hajiya Halima Usman who represented the wife of the Governor, Hajiya zakiyya Aminu Masari during the courtesy call spoke extensively on the programmes, progress and challenges of the NGO, women, youth and children empowerment initiative in Katsina State.
She assured the envoys that the NGO plans to establish VVF skills acquisition centres in Katsina and Mani local government areas of the state.