From Esther Akaa, Lafia
A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Women Friendly Initiative (WFI) has pushed for budget allocation and prompt release of funds for adolescent and youth friendly health service in Nasarawa State.
The Programme Manager for Strengthen Civil Advocacy for Local Engagement (SCALE) project, Mr Paul Uche,
made the advocacy at a one day dialogue with stakeholders on Thursday in Lafia, the state capital.
According to him, SCALE is a project being carried out in the state with funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is being managed by Polladium group.
He said the project which is jointly implemented by Family Health Care Foundation, aimed at advocating for creation of budget line for Adolescent and youth friendly health service in Nasarawa state.
Uche explained further the foundation had earlier this year paid advocacy visit to stakeholders in 11 local government areas across five states Kwara, Plateau, Benue, Ebonyi, Nasarawa and FCT to engaged them to prevail on their chairmen to create budget line for youth friendly health service.
“We are happy that about nine local government areas have already created budget lines that we are advocating for.
“Basically, we are here in Lafia to engage stakeholders again in community dialogue for us to earn more support and help to prevail on LGAs system to release fund allocated to these budget lines,” he said.
He noted that meeting with stakeholders, was meant to win more support from elected and unelected political office holders, traditional leaders, and religious figures in order to help influence authorities and ensure that the project’s goal was achieved.
“We are looking at it that when the fund – N7.5 million budget by Lafia LGA is release to the health department, they will integrate the adolescent and youth friendly health service in the existing primary healthcare centre.
“On the part of nutrition, is targeted at women of child bearing age and under 5 age children,” he said.
Earlier speaking, Chairman Lafia Local Government Area, Alh. Aminu Maifata,
represented by the council Secretary, Mohammed Haliru said the council was committed to creating enabling environment for them to succeed.
” This is not the first time we are meeting this organisation for the development of Lafia local government, it is paramount to said the organisation is leaving no stone unturned to see to the progress of the LGA,” he said.
The stakeholders who attended the meeting including traditional, religious leaders among others, promised to deliver the message to relevant authorities for prompt action, noting that youths are backbone of every society, hence their health be taken seriously.
The Voice reports that organisation also constituted a technical committee to act as a go-between for LGA stakeholders and primary healthcare facilities, regulating operations and ensuring that funds released for adolescent and youth-friendly health services are used appropriately.
