By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
Governors from the Northeast States have been tasked to prioritise policies that will make long lasting impact on the people and society over visible infrastructural projects.
Politicians, particularly Governors in Nigeria have made the construction of roads, building hospitals without manpower, equipment and medicines, and other gigantic visible projects a priority at the expense of life impactful policies that will build individuals and the society as a whole.
The call was herped by a panel of discussants during a two day Northeast Nigeria zonal policy dialogue on social budgeting for child sensitive sectors held in Gombe.
Anchored by UNICEF, Bauchi Field Office Communication Officer, Opeyemi Olagunju, the discussants decried a situation where Governors prioritize visible infrastructural projects over and above policies that will translate to better future of the citizens especially children.
The discussants made up of critical stakeholders in Government, pointed out that Governors must particularly ensure implementation of policies in education, health, nutrition and good dieting as well as water, and sanitation which translates into healthy future for the people.
Mr. Olagunju had earlier expressed UNICEF’s willingness to support any State that is ready to increase access for women and children’s good living conditions in line with relevant national and international conventions, particularly MDG’s first four goals.
The discussants particularly stressed the urgent need for State Governors to prioritize releasing funds for women and children related programmes and activities.
They lamented over the prevalence of street begging and child labour by school age children, prevalence of out of school children, malnutrition among many others which has reduced the chances of a brighter future for children and the society as a whole.
They argued that if the social protection policy is domesticated in each State, it will go a long way in drastically reducing negative child neglect and abuse to the barest minimum.
UNICEF’s Social Policy Specialist particularly called for the involvement of children to say out their minds using the children parliament platform in the various States.
“If child sensitive sectors are adequately captured on the budgets and allocations promptly released, the problem of insecurity in our region will reduce”, one of the discussants pointed out.
They were unanimous in their views that each State MDA’s have a specific role to play in the life of a child which are different from others but having same purpose of ensuring the growth and development of children.
The two day dialogue centred on critical issues of child development in the six Northeast States of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe States. The panel of discussants included commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office Social Policy Specialist.
