The UN has called on the government of Bauchi State, northeast Nigeria, and development partners to work together to find innovative solutions to the problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in the country, Edward Kallon, made the call during the signing ceremony of the ‘Delivery as One’ (DaO) partnership agreement between the UN and the Bauchi State government.
Development Diaries understands that the state, by virtue of this agreement, will receive more than 5.8 billion naira for investment.
The deal, it was learnt, covers governance, human rights peace and security; equitable quality basic services, including health, education, WASH; and sustainable and inclusive growth and development.
Kallon, while noting the socio-economic impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, said it was an opportunity for the state and the entire country to reposition itself towards sustainable development.
‘Building back better demands strengthening democratic governance, human rights protection and the rule of law, in line with the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development’ he said.
The state governor, Bala Mohammed, assured the UN representative of his administration’s willingness to fulfil the objectives of the intervention.
‘I will incorporate the recommendations of the DaO plan into “My Bauchi Project” ‘, he said.
Kallon, in his response to the governor, referred to the pandemic as ‘an X-ray that has revealed the fractures of the fragile skeleton of the societies’, highlighting challenges such as inadequate health systems, gaps in social protection, structural inequalities and environmental degradation.
Country representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Nigeria, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, described the DaO workplan as a strategic document that allows all UN agencies to align their priorities with the plan of the state government.
Source: Relief Web
Photo source: Relief Web
