- Agency Report
The Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) of the UK government says Nigeria is vulnerable to a variety of climate hazards relating to child health and education development.
Mrs Cynthia Rowe, Director of Development, FCDO, said this on Monday during the handing-over ceremony of a school and health facility under the Climate Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS) project, at Chamo community in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa.
Rowe said Nigeria ranked second among countries where children face the highest climate-related risks, directly threatening their ability to survive, grow, learn and fulfil their potential.
She said the CRIBS project was being implemented in a joint collaboration between the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), FCDO, development partners, Kano and Jigawa state governments.
Wafaa Saeed, UNICEF Country Representative, said the project was designed to mitigate climate hazards with regards to children.
She pledged continuing support to Jigawa in view of the commitment displayed by Governor Umar Namadi administration to improve the lives of women and children in the state.
Saeed said the UN agency in partnership with partners developed an innovative project to mitigate climate hazards on child development.
The UNICEF official also commended Jigawa government for sustaining the campaign against open defecation by providing public toilets for the citizens.
She said UNICEF helped Jigawa to reduce the number of out-of-school children, stressing that such effort would address the menace.
Also, Namadi lauded the development partners for their support to the state, describing it as “an innovative strategy to tackle climate change.”
According to Namadi, Jigawa is among the states with a high risk of natural disasters such as flooding and drought that affects schools and health facilities.
He pledged support to the development partners to improve the wellbeing of children and women for sustainable social and economic development. NAN