The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has on Wednesday deplored the alleged diversion of nutrition supplements in some communities in Sokoto.
Michael Juma, the UNICEF’s chief of field office in charge of Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, expressed concerns during the quarterly policymakers’ meeting on Wednesday in Sokoto.
Mr Juma urged community members and stakeholders in the healthcare sector to intensify vigilance against the diversion of prepared nutrition supplements in Sokoto.
The meeting was organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Sokoto government to discuss activities, successes, challenges and offer solutions to lingering challenges.
Mr Juma noted that the nutrition supplements were provided by donors and distributed to healthcare centres in different communities aimed at enhancing the lives of malnourished children.
He lamented some bad elements in the system connived with traders and engaged in selling the supplements to unintended persons. He stressed that the supplements were openly sold in markets.
While investigating the designated stores, UNICEF discovered that personnel stocked cartons of supplements with stones and other objects to cover their nefarious acts.
Mr Juma also urged Sokoto government to join other states in appointing Sokoto’s statistician-general to fast-track data collection, prudence, preservation and dissemination in line with modern trends
