By Muhammad Ibrahim, Sokoto
……as KSMC, MOE sign MoU on women, children issues in Kaduna
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC) and the State Ministry of Education have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bolster women and children issues.
The development was the fallout of a one-day Media Roundtable Meeting with Media Chief Executives held in Zaria, Kaduna State.
The epochal event was attended by all the Heads of Media outfits in the state and other collaborating agencies.
The Officer-in-Charge of UNICEF’s Kaduna Field Office, Dr Idris Baba, signed the framework on behalf of the fund.
The Managing Director, KSMC, Alhaji Ahmed Maiyaki, signed on behalf of the corporation while Alhaji Salisu Baba-Lawal, Director, Planning, signed on behalf of the ministry.
Commenting on the partnership, Susan Akila, Communication, Advocacy and Partnership (CAP), UNICEF-Abuja, aptly recalled that the fund has been actively partnering with the Nigerian media organisations for decades.
“The media outfits in the country are our partners in progress and UNICEF can’t function without them.”
On his part, Maiyaki said that the framework was a tripartite partnership agreement between KSMC, UNICEF, and the Kaduna State Government via the ministry.
He said, “Under the framework, KSMC is expected to produce contents and provide airtime that seek to promote education, health, and other thematic areas as a corporate social responsibility (CSR).
“The project, at the first instance, will focus on the ‘Learning on Radio’ program targeting out of school children in communities ravaged by insecurity.
“Under the partnership, UNICEF will provide technical support, including capacity building training for KSMC staff, including the M&E component of the framework.
‘Similarly, the Ministry of Education will provide an oversight role in the partnership, including the provision of resources required in the production and other related costs of the project.”
Maiyaki stated that the corporation boasts of five Radio stations, one TV station and an array of robust social media handles.
“We are being listened to and watched from across Nigeria, Africa and the world,” Maiyaki said.
On his part, Baba-Lawal, said the state government was doing everything humanly possible to change the hitherto negative narratives about the education sector in the state.
He said, “The state government is doing all it could to improve education although there are still challenges that are being surmounted.
“We have recorded significant strides in bolstering enrolment and retention in schools.
“Yet, there is disturbingly a high number of out-of-school children in the state.
“The media are critical stakeholders in boosting girl-child education, among other invaluable roles.”
