By John Bassey, Kebbi
Kebbi State Governor, His Excellency, Comrade Dr. Nasir Idris, has approved N1.7 billion for the revitalisation of 21 additional Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and N1.3 billion for the procurement of hospital equipment for five General Hospitals across the state.
The governor disclosed this while hosting representatives of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.
The visit also featured an update on the Polio Eradication Initiative by the Kebbi State Polio Emergency Operations Centre.
Governor Idris further revealed that the State Executive Council had approved N946 million for the rehabilitation of Martha Bamaiyyi General Hospital in Zuru.
He noted that his administration has constructed three new General Hospitals to expand access to healthcare services, bringing quality medical care closer to people across the state.
This, he added, is in addition to the release of N3.5 billion in counterpart funding for the World Bank’s Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), aimed at improving rural roads for farmers.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with development partners to enhance healthcare delivery and other critical sectors.
He commended UNICEF, WHO, UNDP, and other partners for their continued support to the state.
“We appreciate your collective efforts in supporting Kebbi State, and I hope this engagement will serve as a platform for addressing key issues of concern.
“Our doors are always open to collaboration and partnership with anyone who will bring development to our people,” he said.
Speaking on other sectors, Governor Idris stated that the state does not owe workers’ salaries, pensions, gratuities, or death benefits.
He added that since the inception of his administration, over 5,000 workers have been recruited.
In the agricultural sector, the governor disclosed that the government distributed 100 trucks of fertiliser, power tillers, irrigation pumps, agrochemicals, and other farming inputs to farmers free of charge.
On education, he said the administration has constructed, reconstructed, and rehabilitated about 2,000 classrooms across the state.
Earlier, the UNICEF Country Representative, Mrs Wafaa Saeed; WHO Country Representative, Dr Pavel Ursu; and UNDP North-West Head, Mr Ashraf Usman, commended the state government for its efforts in strengthening healthcare delivery.
They emphasised the need for deeper collaboration with traditional and religious leaders to achieve the total eradication of polio.
They described Kebbi as one of the states making significant progress in vaccination awareness and urged the government to sustain the momentum.
UNICEF also presented 45 motorcycles to the state government for onward distribution to health workers to enhance mobility and boost morale.
