On Thursday, the Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) called on Kano state lawmakers to take decisive action in ensuring the thorough and effective implementation of the Kano State Free Maternal and Child Healthcare (FMNCH) Law 2023.
Zuwaira Omar, CHRICED’s Program Officer, made the call at the 2025 budget public hearing organized by the Kano State House of Assembly.
She said the FMNCH Law 2023 is a groundbreaking legislation designed to provide complimentary maternal and child healthcare services to women and children in the state; it addresses critical health needs in our communities.
“As the first law of its kind in Nigeria, it sets a significant precedent and serves as a model for other states to prioritize the health and welfare of their citizens.
“The successful implementation of this landmark law has the potential to elevate Kano State’s reputation on a global scale, showcasing our commitment to improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
“We are optimistic that, under the dedicated leadership of His Excellency, Governor Engr. Abba Kabiru Yusuf, Kano State is poised to make substantial strides in reducing maternal and child mortality, a goal that is both urgent and achievable.
“To facilitate the effective implementation of the Law, we strongly advocate for the immediate establishment of the Free Maternal and Child Health Consultative Council, as mandated in Section 14(1) of the FMNCH Law.
“This Council will play a crucial role in the administration of the law, ensuring that the necessary frameworks and resources are in place to deliver quality healthcare services to those who need them most.
“We mustn’t allow this important law to remain unexecuted, as doing so would not only undermine the diligent efforts of the 9th Assembly, whose members worked tirelessly to pass this legislation, but it would also be detrimental to the citizens of Kano State.”
According to Omar, the people of Kano stand to benefit immensely from the law, and it is the collective responsibility of stakeholders to ensure that the people receive the healthcare services they deserve.
Constituency Projects
Omar said: “For citizens to fully benefit from the advantages of democracy, it is essential that they actively participate in the selection, planning, and implementation of these projects.
“We strongly encourage this Assembly to cultivate a culture of consultation with constituents to identify priority needs and to consider establishing a legal framework that governs constituency project processes, similar to the successful model employed in Lagos State.”
She said her organization emphasizes establishing robust oversight and monitoring mechanisms to ensure government policies and programs achieve their set objectives.
“Without effective oversight and citizen participation, even substantial budget allocations may fail to produce meaningful results. As previously highlighted in public hearings, CHRICED remains committed to advocating for strong oversight that drives positive transformations in governance and project execution,” she added.
Responding, the Chairman of the Kano State Appropriation Committee, Hon. Aminu Sa’ad Ungogo said the issue of engaging communities in the planning, selection, and implementation of constituency projects has been taken care of by their campaign activities.
In his words, “By the time we tour our constituencies during the electioneering campaigns, it is where the communities set their agenda by telling us their priorities.
“The issue of selection has already been made by the communities and that’s what we take to put in our diaries so that by the time the year comes to an end, we look at those areas and consider the most critical ones especially considering the meagre amount.”
He thanked the state Governor for raising the constituency project funds for each member from 100million to 150million.
“And by the time we look at this 150million, that has now been approved by the current administration, about the inflation trend that is so persistent in the country, you find out that what, maybe, you are going to do with 50million that was allocated in the, maybe, 4th and 5th Assembly, now 150million cannot enable one to undertake such projects with this amount now,” he said.
On the issue of oversight functions, he said he would have preferred that CHRICED had insisted on improved oversight functions because that is the issue.
