By Abbas Nazil
The United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have praised Jigawa State for its efforts in tackling malnutrition and promoting climate-resilient infrastructure in schools and health facilities.
The commendation came during the launch of the UK–Nigeria Climate Resilience Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS) Programme in Chamo town, Dutse Local Government Area.
Before the launch, FCDO and UNICEF delegations, led by UNICEF Country Representative Wafa Saeed Abdellatef and FCDO Development Director Cynthia Rowe, paid a courtesy visit to Governor Malam Umar Namadi at the Government House, Dutse.
Rowe reaffirmed the UK’s long-standing partnership with Jigawa, stressing that CRIBS provides a systematic approach to climate resilience that can be expanded across northern Nigeria.
Similarly, Abdellatef described Jigawa as a model state in nutrition, sanitation, and climate resilience, citing achievements such as becoming the first state in Nigeria to achieve and sustain Open Defecation-Free status.
She also praised the innovative Masaki initiative, which provides preventive and treatment services for malnourished children, as well as Jigawa’s annual contributions to match climate resilience funds.
Governor Namadi, in his address, highlighted the state’s vulnerability to perennial flooding, which has caused massive damage to infrastructure, livelihoods, and service delivery.
He noted that the first phase of CRIBS successfully renovated about 90 facilities, including Chamo Primary School and Chamo Primary Health Centre, remodeling them to withstand climate impacts.
The governor pledged to expand CRIBS to more local governments and expressed deep gratitude to FCDO and UNICEF, describing them as Jigawa’s most consistent development partners.
He assured that the state government will continue to scale up climate resilience initiatives to safeguard education and health services in disaster-prone communities.
