UNICEF has called on state Houses of Assembly to ensure children’s interests are prioritized from state planning to budget preparation and fund releases.
Speaking at a Capacity Building Workshop on Public Financing Mechanisms in Kano, UNICEF Chief Social Policy Specialist Isaac Otarbor said the goal was to see more resources deployed to children across all levels of government.
“All these releases on education, health, nutrition must be protected to make sure interest of children are taken on board at state, federal levels,” he said, lamenting that child poverty in Nigeria remained multidimensional and severe.
The workshop, organized for Kaduna State House of Assembly members, aimed to equip them to track and influence public spending for children. Facilitator Professor Olumide Ayodele said it would deepen members’ knowledge of budgeting, fund tracking and oversight.
Chairman of the Assembly’s Appropriation Committee, Shehu Musa, described the training as timely, saying proper allocation was key to addressing critical needs in education, health and infrastructure.
