06 Aug UNICEF pledges continuous collaboration

Oyo State Government inaugurated a Steering Committee and Technical Working Groups to develop situation analysis of children and women in the State.

The committee was inaugurated by the Honorable Commissioner, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Barr. Adeniyi Farinto in a closed meeting in Ibadan.

The commissioner while giving his address noted that children and women, being the most vulnerable sets of people in a society, require the best protection any government can provide. Hence, the rationale behind putting together such a committee.

Farinto said that the recommendations that will emerge at the end of the study will help the government to achieve more of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as provide accessible data to stakeholders for the progress of Oyo State.

The policy and thematic recommendations that will emerge from the study should therefore address shortfalls and disparities as well as accelerate progress towards Social Development Goals and development of human rights conventions.

The situation analysis of women and children will allow government to attend to activities and results in a most transparent manner being a participatory and open process.

Conducting a situation analysis will provide data and information available and accessible to different stakeholders. Thus, promoting transparency.

The commissioner further emphasized that for transformation of the state from poverty to prosperity which forms the hallmark of Seyi Makinde-led administration, there is need for strategic planning, transparent governance and an open budget system.

He inaugurated the steering committee chaired by the Permanent Secretary, ministry of budget and planning, Mrs Mofoluke Adebiyi and four technical working groups focusing on child survival, Education and development, Child Protection and poverty and socio-economic vulnerability.

In his speech, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Akure Office, Dr. Tushar Rane maintained that it is important for any society to understand the situation analysis of children and women as they form the majority of the society’s population.

Quoting from statistics provided by the National Population Commission of Nigeria, he stated that 48% of Oyo State population are children out of which majority are victims of Female Genital Mutilation, infant mortality, malnutrition which is as a result of non-access to quality healthcare and education.

He, however, commended the State government for committing 23% of its 2020 budget to education, promising that UNICEF will continue to collaborate with the State to achieve more Sustainable Development Goals.