By Abbas Bamalli
The Katsina State Government, has organised a two-day capacity building workshop for the 34 Local Council Chairmen, aimed at reducing child poverty from the grassroots.
Declaring the exercise open in Kano on Monday, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda reiterated commitment to strengthening social protection systems and evidence-based governance.
The workshop titled: “Reducing Child Poverty through Social Protection, Using Data for Transformative Evidence-Based Governance”, was organised through the state’s Bureau of Statistics.
Represented by Prof. Abdulhamid Ahmed, Commissioner for Rural and Social Development, Radda said the workshop marks a significant step in efforts to uplift the lives of children and vulnerable families across the state.
He explained that the exercise is aimed at equipping local government chairmen and officials with skills to design and implement data-driven social protection policies.
“This event reflects our shared belief that good governance is not just about policies and projects, but about improving the quality of life of every citizen, particularly our children,” Radda said.
According to him, child poverty remained one of the most pressing challenges, describing it as deprivation beyond income, including lack of education, health, nutrition, and opportunities.
Citing the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index, the governor said about 65.4 per cent of children aged 0-17 in the state live in multidimensional poverty.
“This translates to about 1.46 million children under five years suffering multiple deprivations such as malnutrition, poor healthcare, and inadequate education.
“These findings highlight the urgent need for strategic, data-driven action to combat child poverty and improve human development outcomes,” he said.
The governor said his administration had implemented several social protection initiatives, including conditional cash transfers, school feeding, women and youth empowerment schemes.
He, however, urged local government chairmen to deepen implementation at the grassroots and to prioritise fairness, transparency, and measurable results.
In his speech, the Commissioner, Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Malik Anas, observed that the gathering was timely and strategic, adding that child poverty continues to be a pressing issue affecting the future of communities.
Represented by the state’s Statistician General, Prof. Saifullahi Sani, Anas said that reliable data helps to identify where children were most vulnerable and how best to allocate resources to make a real impact.
The commissioner expressed confidence that with the capacity building workshop, supported by UNICEF, council chairmen would drive transformative change in the state. (NAN)
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