Mrs Naomi Awak, the commissioner of Women Affairs and Social Development, has restated state government’s commitment to strengthen all partnerships with relevant stakeholders to guarantee the protection of children in the state.
Awak made this known in Gombe on Thursday while addressing a team from Save the Children (SCI’s) Reaching and Empowering Adolescents to make informed choices for their health in Nigeria (REACH) Project.
The REACH team from Zamfara, Katsina and Gombe states paid a courtesy visit to the commissioner to solicit state government’s support in sustaining the REACH project beyond 2021 when the project is expected to end.
The commissioner said that the Gov. Inuwa Yahaya-led administration is committed to the welfare and wellbeing of children in the state, adding “this is why we have always opened our hands to any partnership in that regard.’’
She stated that all partnerships with relevant stakeholders would be strengthened to ensure that children in the state are better protected in line with the mandate of her ministry.
According to her, in the efforts to protect the rights of children, the state government is working to domesticate the Child Rights Act (CRA) in the state, saying “efforts have reached advance stage.’’
She said that the CRA is now with the state House of Assembly, adding that all the necessary collaborations by all tiers of government are being done to fast-track the domestication of the act.
On the request to sustain the REACH project, the commissioner said “the administration of Gov. Yahaya has the interest of women and children at heart. So, I believe it is going to be sustained.’’
For his part, Mr. Akpan Effiong, Coordinator, Community Engagement and Advocacy, SCI said that the REACH project, which is being implemented in Dukku and Balanga local government areas of Gombe state, had impacted positively on the adolescents.
Effiong said that the impact of the project through the various success stories being recorded should be sustained for other adolescents across the state to benefit.
He commended the state government for creating an environment conducive for the implementation of the project in Dukku and Balanga and also for efforts made so far towards the domestication of CRA in Gombe.
He added that the visit of the REACH teams from Katsina and Zamfara states would be leveraged to share ideas on how well to further improve the quality of the project while strengthening calls for sustainability.
The REACH Project Manager for Zamfara, Mr Murtala Bello, said his team was on visit to Gombe state to acquire more knowledge, adding that the project is being implemented in Zamfara, Katsina and Gombe states.
