Niger state government has urged Ministries, Department and Agencies MDAs to find options for prompt interventions through policy and programs indicated in the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) reports.
Governor Abubakar Bello gave the directive during the presentation of the MICS report at the Sensitization and Dissemination of Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) by the State Ministry of Planning Commission in partnership with the UNICEF Kaduna Field Office held in Minna.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government SSG Ahmed Matane who expressed concern over areas the state was not doing well like open defecation, water and sanitation, maternal and mortality and out of school children.
Matane noted that data is a reflection of who or where you are which must be adopted to ensure interventions hence the need for embarking on sensitization and dissemination, described MICS as the only global reliable data collector.
He assured that government will make use of 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) report as a guide to take crucial decisions to safe lives of under age, open defecation among others.
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), has revealed that over 60% of children in Niger State were multi-dimensionally poor and 10% of mothers practice exclusive breastfeeding in the state.
The Chief of UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, Donald Norris represented by a medical expert, Dr Idris Baba stated that MICS data indicated that the learning achievement situation in the state has improved while urging the state government to tackle the situation.
The Commissioner and Deputy Chairman Ministry of Planning Commission, Zakari Abubakar said that the children, women and household data is key for planning and policy development.
He assured that the ministry will not relent in its mandate in regards to the provision of data in perspective of what to be done through availability of data as routine to show areas of focus as well as areas to improve upon in terms of development.