By Aliyu Dangida
The Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Umaru Radda has reiterated his commitment towards ensuring the implemention of the Child’s Right Protection Law in Katsina State.
Governor Radda made the pledge when a delegation of Save the Children International (SCI) led by the Head of Advocacy, Campaigns, Impact, Accountability and Learning for Save the children Global, Mr. Vahir kutluer who paid him a courtesy visit at the state government house
Acknowledging Save the Children International for its good work globally, Gov. Radda commended the body for the support they have been giving to Katsina State since 2010 till date, assuring SCI of continuous partnership and support in its set goals and objectives.
Hotpen reports that, on 26 December 2020, the Ministry of women Affairs with the support from SCI through the Katsina State House of Assembly assented to the Child Protection Bill.
The Katsina Governor listed that procedures for the implementation of the Child’s Right Act should commence as soon as the new Commissioner of Justice assumes office.
His words: “Hopefully by next week, our cabinet should be ready and we should have a commissioner of Justice by then. I will call on him and we will discuss the child right act and see how we can ensure its smooth implementation since it has already been enacted. This is a good milestone. So, I think we will still seek your (SCI) support in the implementation of the law.
“We are also craving for your support in reducing child mortality in our health facilities. These are some of the areas that we will be needing your intervention also.”
Governor Radda explained further that most of the issues surrounding the problem of children and women in early birth are as a result of malnutrition said his administration has “come up with plans that will ensure there are functional health centres in all the 361 wards of the state that will run for 24 hours mostly to attend to maternal issues and childbirth.” Also to cushion the effect, Radda noted that the state plans to buy mobile ambulances and tricycles that will transport and provide first aid treatment in emergency cases.
Earlier speaking, the Head of Advocacy, Campaigns, Impact, Accountability and Learning for Save the children Global, Mr. Vahir kutluer who led the SCI team to Katsina said they are in the state to focus on some of their previous works, primarily, the child right protection law passed in December 2020 so that they can better understand how they can achieve better impact for children.
Vahir who admitted that the passing of the law is something very important however noted that its implementation is equally better and will make better impact for children.
On the implementation of the Child Protection Act, Mr Vahir said: “We all need to collaborate on this to see a better impact on the children in the upcoming period.”
Vahir also observed that among the few stakeholders in Katsina the SCI team visited in the last few days, many of them stressed on the importance of implementing this law and the need for political will to see it come to pass and make better impact for the children.
