The commendation came on Friday during the official visit of UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell, to Sokoto State, where she inspected key development projects and engaged with government officials, healthcare workers, teachers, community leaders, mothers and young people.
During the visit, Russell toured the Rumbukawa Primary Health Centre and a Digital Village, where she observed initiatives designed to improve access to healthcare, education and digital learning opportunities for children and young people.
Representing Governor Ahmed Aliyu, the Deputy Governor, Idris Mohammed Gobir, welcomed the UNICEF delegation and reaffirmed the state's commitment to strengthening its partnership with the UN agency and other development organisations.
Gobir thanked UNICEF for including Sokoto among the states visited during Russell's mission to Nigeria and acknowledged the agency's longstanding contributions to maternal and child healthcare, education and child protection programmes.
He said the administration of Governor Ahmed Aliyu had made healthcare a priority since assuming office, highlighting the renovation of health facilities, the recruitment of over 1,500 nurses and midwives, and the engagement of 2,440 Community Health Extension Workers deployed across primary healthcare centres in the state.
The deputy governor also pointed to investments in rural water supply, school infrastructure and environmental sanitation as part of broader efforts to improve the quality of life for residents.
According to him, the state government, working with UNICEF, has established 10 integrated Qur'anic schools, child-friendly centres in Shuni and Dange-Shuni Local Government Areas, ICT training facilities for Almajiri children and vocational training programmes that have equipped 2,723 out-of-school children with skills and start-up support.
“We are working in collaboration with development partners such as UNICEF, Plan International and Save the Children to improve the lives of our children and women,” Gobir said.
Despite these achievements, Gobir noted that insecurity continues to pose a major challenge to the delivery of education and healthcare services in parts of the state.
“Sokoto is one of the states facing serious security challenges affecting our schools and healthcare facilities. This troubling situation severely undermines our commitment to ensuring that every child and every mother has access to a safe and nurturing environment,” he said.
He appealed to UNICEF and other development partners for additional assistance in rebuilding critical public infrastructure damaged by insecurity.
“I wish to request additional support for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of health and educational facilities across the state,” he added.
Gobir also expressed appreciation for UNICEF's continued interventions, including programmes supported by the European Union to reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality, assuring the organisation of the state's commitment to deepening collaboration for the benefit of women and children.
Responding, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell described her visit as both encouraging and inspiring, saying it demonstrated the positive results that can be achieved when governments, communities and development partners work together.
“My visit to Sokoto has been truly inspiring. At both the Rumbukawa Primary Health Centre and the Digital Village, I have seen what is possible when leadership, partnership and community commitment come together,” she said.
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| Sokoto State Deputy Governor, Eng Idris Gobir presenting a souvenir to visiting UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell. Credit: Animasahun Salman |
“I met with dedicated health workers, teachers, local officials and mothers determined to give their children the best possible start in life. I also met children and young people whose curiosity, creativity and ambition remind us why investing in them is the wisest investment in the future,” Russell said.
She added that her engagements with Nigeria's Vice President, the First Lady, diplomats, private sector leaders and young people highlighted both the country's challenges and its immense potential.
“One message came through consistently: Nigeria’s children face significant challenges. But those challenges do not define Nigeria’s future. What defines that future is the extraordinary talent, resilience and innovation of its people,” she said.
Russell stressed that the decisions governments and stakeholders make today regarding children will shape Nigeria's future for generations.
“The choices that are made today for children will shape Nigeria for decades to come. Every child who is healthy, learning and protected strengthens not only their own future, but the future of their community, this state and the nation,” she said.
Reaffirming UNICEF's commitment to Nigeria, Russell said the organisation would continue partnering with governments, communities and development partners to ensure every child has the opportunity to survive, learn and realise their full potential.
“UNICEF is proud to be a trusted partner. We remain committed to working alongside the Federal Government, the Government of Sokoto State, communities, development partners and young people themselves to help ensure that every child can survive, thrive, learn and reach their full potential,” she added.