The Chief of the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, has urged contractors handling the revitalisation and restructuring of primary healthcare centres in Taraba State to carry out their assignments with honesty, dedication and professionalism.
Dr. Rafique made the call on Thursday in Jalingo during the official handover of selected primary healthcare facilities by the Taraba state government to UNICEF, through the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bondiya Buma. The facilities were thereafter handed over to the contractors for execution of the projects.
She also charged the chairmen of the beneficiary local government councils with taking personal responsibility for the projects by ensuring quality delivery and timely completion within the stipulated period.
According to UNICEF, Taraba State is among the states with the highest number of healthcare facilities slated for revitalisation under the UNICEF Bauchi Field Office and across the country.
Dr. Rafique stressed that contractors must justify the confidence reposed in them by delivering quality projects that would have a significant impact on women and children in the affected communities and the state at large.
She disclosed that the contractors were selected through a transparent process, adding that Ardo-Kola, Bali, Gassol, Karim-Lamido, Sardauna and Zing local government areas are benefiting from the intervention.
She noted that if properly executed, the projects would help save the lives of mothers and children, urging all stakeholders, particularly council chairmen, to ensure the facilities are completed to standard within the three-month timeframe.
The project, being implemented by UNICEF with funding support from the Global Fund, is expected to be completed by March 2026.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Bondiya Buma, commended the Global Fund for its support to Taraba State and praised UNICEF for ensuring transparency in the contractor selection process.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to providing an enabling environment for contractors to complete the projects within the stipulated gestation period.
Dr. Buma also appealed to facility managers to cooperate with the contractors to ensure timely completion, noting that communities across the state stand to benefit immensely from the intervention.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Nuhu Tukura, lauded UNICEF and the Global Fund for their continued support and urged media practitioners to sustain coverage of the state government’s efforts, particularly in the health sector.
Responding on behalf of the contractors, representatives of Dari Investment and Cycle Gate Engineering assured stakeholders of their commitment to delivering quality projects that would improve healthcare services and bring relief to women and children across Taraba State.
