The Bauchi State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has launched the Climate Resilience Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS) project aimed at protecting schools and healthcare facilities from the devastating effects of climate change.
The initiative, which was officially flagged off on Monday, is designed to strengthen critical public infrastructure and reduce climate-related destruction affecting educational and health institutions across the state.
Speaking during the launch ceremony, UNICEF’s Chief of Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, said the project reflects the organisation’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare, safety and future of children.
According to her, UNICEF’s interventions are centered on ensuring that children are provided with safe environments that enable them to grow, learn and contribute meaningfully to society.
“Our focus is on children — for their safety, their security and their well-being. We want to provide them with the best opportunities to grow into responsible men and women who will contribute positively to society,” she said.
Dr. Rafique stressed that climate change is no longer a distant threat but a present reality already affecting communities through extreme temperatures, heavy rainfall and destructive windstorms.
She noted that many schools and primary healthcare centres have suffered severe damage from harsh weather conditions, leaving thousands of residents without access to essential services.
“Climate change is not far away. This is not the future; it has become the present. We are witnessing extreme heat, high temperatures and rainstorms blowing off the roofs of schools and healthcare facilities,” she stated.
“We all know that already there are thousands of people who cannot reach health facilities or stay there because of these conditions.”
The CRIBS project is being implemented with support from the United Kingdom International Development and covers six states including Bauchi, Enugu, Kaduna, Jigawa, Katsina and Gombe.
Under the initiative, critical infrastructure in schools and hospitals will be constructed, rehabilitated and maintained to withstand the negative effects of climate change.
The project is expected to run between July 2025 and December 2026.
Dr. Rafique described the programme as a major step towards ensuring that schools and healthcare centres are equipped with adequate Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities and are built to provide safe environments for children and mothers.
“This project is a dream for the state where all schools and health facilities have water, sanitation and hygiene facilities and are structured in ways that keep children safe,” she said.
“Our mothers should be able to give birth in safe environments, and newborn babies should remain protected regardless of climate-related challenges.”
Governor Bala Mohammed, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Auwal Jatau, commended UNICEF for its continued support to the state in critical sectors.
He disclosed that the project would involve the renovation and upgrade of 15 primary healthcare centres and nine primary schools across five local government areas of Bauchi State.
According to the governor, the intervention would not only improve learning conditions and healthcare delivery but also help mitigate the impact of climate change on public infrastructure.
He said the upgraded facilities would create safer and more conducive environments for pupils, teachers, healthcare workers and patients.
“The renovation and upgrade of these facilities will go a long way in providing conducive environments for children to learn and for healthcare workers to deliver quality healthcare services,” he said.
Mohammed further praised UNICEF for supporting the state government in areas such as healthcare delivery, primary education, adolescent and reproductive health, as well as water and sanitation programmes.
