From Muawuya Bala Idris, Katsina
The Katsina State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to establish adolescent girls’ hubs in Mani and Katsina Local Government Areas.
The agreement, sealed through the Department of Girl-Child Education and Child Development, is aimed at strengthening child protection programmes and boosting support for vulnerable children, including Almajiri pupils.
At the signing ceremony, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Girl-Child Education, Jamila Abdu Mani, and the Special Adviser on Social Development, Danladi Nasidi, signed on behalf of the state government. UNICEF Kano Field Office was represented by its Chief, Rahama Farah, while the Vice Chairman of Mani LGA, Abubakar Isah, signed on behalf of the benefiting councils.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary of the Department of Girl-Child Education, Alhaji Aminu Badaru-Jikamshi, said UNICEF will also train personnel at the Social Development Training Centre in Filin Samji as part of the agreement.
Badaru-Jikamshi explained that the initiative would pilot schemes that benefit adolescent girls and Almajiri children by equipping them with relevant skills and protection services.
On his part, Farah described the MoU as a critical step toward improving thewell-beingg of vulnerable children in Katsina.
“This MoU focuses on child protection, child rights, and implementation of international human rights instruments already ratified and domesticated by Nigeria and Katsina State,” he said.
He noted the importance of translating laws and policies into action, stressing that the professional services promised under the agreement must reach the most at-risk groups.
Farah added that with over four million children in Katsina, many of whom are out of school—especially girls and Almajiris—the agreement offers them “a second chance to learn and earn.”
“These children come from vulnerable families. Poverty affects them. Through this partnership, we aim to give them skills to become self-reliant entrepreneurs,” he stated.
In her remarks, Jamila Abdu Mani expressed gratitude to UNICEF for the collaboration and called for more partnerships to improve education and development outcomes for girls.
“This agreement will help us identify challenges and provide solutions to underserved communities. We will ensure that resources and efforts reach the target beneficiaries in Katsina and Mani,” she assured.
Meanwhile, Farah called on the Katsina State Government to increase budgetary allocations for child welfare. Speaking at a one-day media dialogue organised by UNICEF for journalists and civil society organisations in Katsina, he stressed the importance of prioritising children in the state’s fiscal planning.
“Children are not just heirs to the future—they are the building blocks of that future. Investing in them today means building a stronger, more sustainable Katsina tomorrow,” he said.
During the dialogue, experts presented papers on child-sensitive budgeting, planning, and strategies for achieving child-focused development in Katsina State.
