The European Union (EU), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Sokoto State Government have renewed their commitment to improving the well-being of women, children, and adolescents through a series of strategic health and education initiatives.
During a working visit to various health and educational institutions across the state, EU Ambassador to Nigeria, Gautier Mignot, reiterated the EU’s strong support for Sokoto, particularly in the healthcare sector. “We recognize the serious healthcare challenges facing Sokoto State, which is why we are implementing the recently launched SARA project focused on improving the health of women and adolescents,” he said.
Ambassador Mignot also emphasized the EU’s broader humanitarian support, which includes nutrition and primary healthcare services, as well as educational assistance to Quranic and nomadic schools that integrate formal learning. He underscored the transformative impact of educating girls, calling it a “powerful accelerator for development and prosperity.” Countries with educated and empowered women, he noted, consistently show stronger economic outcomes.
The EU’s humanitarian agency, ECHO, is actively supporting the region by channeling substantial resources toward addressing urgent nutrition and healthcare needs.
UNICEF Country Representative in Nigeria, Cristian Munduate, praised recent advancements in primary healthcare delivery in Sokoto but stressed the need for continued investment to broaden access and reach underserved communities.
Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Faruk Wurno, expressed the state’s readiness to meet these challenges head-on. He announced that the government has awarded contracts for the revitalization of 116 primary healthcare centres, including one of the high-traffic facilities visited during the tour.
Wurno also committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in the execution of the three newly launched development projects, promising they would be fully implemented to meet the needs of the people of Sokoto State.
