The Chairman of Awareness Initiative for Good Living (AIGL), Alhaji Abdulwahab Ajibola has commended the Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, for giving priority attention to the health sector in the 2020 budget he just signed into law on Thursday (January 30, 2020).
Alhaji Ajibola gave the commendation in Ilorin on Friday (January 31, 2020) during an opening meeting of the AIGL, saying that his organization was particually happy with the sum of N10 million the government approved for Family Planning (FP) in this year’s budget.
He said AIGL is a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) that focuses on family planning and general good living for all women of reproductive age in the state, under the auspices of Pathfinder international.
He described the sum of N10 million approved by the government as first of it’s kind in the history of Kwara state, saying that budget line for family planning had been surffering neglect by the previous administrations in the state.
“I commend the state governor, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for taking the heath of the people in kwara state serious. It has never happened before that such amount would be approved for FP.
Actually, we put forward the sum of N19 million in the budget, but we thank the Executive Governor for given FP due consideration and we believe that by the time we utilise the N10 million, a lot of family planning activities will be carried out in the state” he said.
Ajibola explained that the immediate past Government in the state approved the sum of N3 million for family planning in 2019 without cash backing, pointing out that Governor Abdulrazaq came to their rescue by releasing the sum of N1 million out of the three million naira approved by his predecessor in 2019.
He expressed optimism that the money approved this year, if approved accordingly, would go a long way in reducing maternal mortality and increasing child health in the state.
“Before, there was never any budget line for FP in the state, with our efforts as AIGL, FP budget line was created and backed up with cash.The previous Governments have never released money for the FP. In 2019, fomer Governor approved N3 million but never released any, but when Governor Abdulrazaq assumed office, he released N1million out of the approved N3 million”.
Speaking about programmes lined up for execution by the AIGL this year, the AIGL Chairman explained that 30 members of the Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) have been airmarked for training to add more value and standard to their services and by extension reduce the level of maternal mortality.
Other highlights of the AIGL opening meeting wee mere setting up of two standing committees which are committee on “Advocacy Kits” that will mobilize awareness on the importance of FP while the second committee was on TBA that as part of preparation for the training of selected Traditional Birth Attendants in the state.
In her comment, the AIGL scribe, Hajia Baliqees Oladimeji said AIGL is working round the clock to ensure adequate protection for all women of productive age through adequate sensetization and awareness across the 16 local government areas of Kwara state.
