FCDO, UNICEF hail Jigawa as model state in nutrition, climate resilience

The Jigawa State Government has received high commendations from the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) of the United Kingdom and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for its pioneering role in tackling malnutrition and advancing climate-resilient infrastructure in schools and health facilities.

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The praise came during the official launch of the UK–Nigeria Climate Resilience Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS) Programme, held on Monday in Chamo town, Dutse Local Government Area.

Prior to the launch, the FCDO and UNICEF officials, led by the UNICEF Country Representative Wafa Saeed Abdellatef and Development FCDO Director Cynthia Rowe, paid a courtesy call on Governor Umar Namadi at the Government House, Dutse.

In her remarks, Cynthia Rowe reaffirmed the UK’s confidence in Jigawa’s leadership.

“We have a 20-year partnership with Jigawa State. Jigawa is really important. CRIBS provides a systematic approach to climate resilience, and we are keen to scale this across Jigawa and northern Nigeria.”

Similarly, UNICEF’s Wafaa Saeed Abdellatef described Jigawa as a model state in nutrition, sanitation, and climate resilience.

“We are here to hand over upgraded, climate-resilient schools and health facilities funded by the UK government. Jigawa has become a model state, making a big difference in many areas. This is the first state in Nigeria to achieve and sustain Open Defecation-Free status and sustain that,” she said.

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She also praised the state’s “innovative Masaki initiative, which provides preventive and treatment services for malnourished children under five, and also the annual contribution of the state to match climate resilience funds that are critical in treating malnutrition.”

In his address, Governor Namadi highlighted Jigawa’s vulnerability to climate shocks, particularly perennial flooding that has caused catastrophic damage to infrastructure, livelihoods, and service delivery.

“Jigawa State has over the years been devastated by perennial floods with catastrophic damage to physical infrastructure, including roads, schools, and health facilities; loss of livelihoods; and most often, significant loss of lives. These also come with significant disruptions to smooth service delivery in the two key sectors of education and health, with direct negative impacts on the government’s effort towards ensuring that children survive, grow, learn, and fulfill their potentials.”

The governor said that Phase I of the CRIBS programme successfully renovated about 90 health and education facilities across pilot local governments, including Chamo Primary School (established in 1960) and Chamo Primary Health Centre (established in 1965), adding that for the first time in their history, these facilities have now been remodeled to withstand the effects of climate change.

“About a quarter of the projects, comprising eleven health facilities and eleven schools’ infrastructure, are located across the three pilot Local Government Areas in Jigawa State. We hope to see a relatively higher coverage in the upcoming second phase of the program with more local governments and more facilities covered across the two sectors.”

Mr Namadi reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to expand CRIBS interventions across more local governments:

“Let me use this opportunity to inform our partners—both the FCDO and UNICEF—that as a mark of our appreciation of these interventions and considering their long-term positive impacts, the Jigawa State Government will pursue a gradual scale-up of the CRIBS initiative. This is especially considering the risks and exposure of many parts of our state to climate change and the disaster continuously visited on health and educational infrastructure and facilities across many of the flood disaster-prone communities.”

The governor expressed deep appreciation to FCDO and UNICEF, describing them as Jigawa’s most consistent and enduring development partners whose support has been critical to reforms in the delivery of basic services.

“Even as technical and development assistance is waning in some quarters, FCDO and UNICEF have remained resolute and committed to supporting and collaborating with the Jigawa State Government. As we look forward to greater commitments in CRIBS and other programs being supported by the duo of FCDO the and UNICEF, we will remain ever-thankful to you,” the governor said.