Okowa releases N100m counterpart funds to UNICEF

The Delta State government has released the sum of N100 million as counterpart funding to the United Nation’s Children Education Fund (UNICEF) for water and sanitation programmes in the state. This was on the directive of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

This was made known on Tuesday  when playing host to the Head, UNICEF Field Office in the South South geo-political zone, Mr Wilbroad Ngambi, who paid the governor  a courtesy visit in government house, Asaba, stated that despite the economic challenges his administration would continue to engage in activities that will make life meaningful to the people.

According to the governor,  “As part of our partnership with UNICEF on the water cum sanitation programmes, we have released N100 million as our counterpart fund, within the next few weeks, we will release another N100 million,” the governor said, disclosing. The delay in the release of funds was because of the economic situation of the country. The areas which you have intervened and is still intervening in the state, especially, issues concerning maternal and child health care, we hope to stay strong in our partnership with you for the development and benefits of our people, we promise to do our best to release funds within our limits.”

The governor who commended the UNICEF for its programmes, disclosed that state has over 400 primary health centres and will support the local governments to make the health centres to be functional and responsive to the health needs of our people.

“When the health insurance act is properly implemented, the partnership between the federal, state and local governments would ensure the improvement and equipping of the primary health centres in the state and also, ensure support for the very vulnerable and the poor in the society want to assure that my administration was focused on the programmes it was supporting and in partnership with.”

Earlier, Ngambi had told the governor that UNICEF will continue to partner with the government of Delta State for the protection of the rights of the children, strengthen immunization, maternal and child health care including family planning and also, strengthen access to safe water and sanitation services in the state.