The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched a climate resilience project aimed at strengthening schools and primary healthcare facilities in Katsina State against the growing impacts of climate change.
The Climate Resilient Infrastructure for Basic Services (CRIBS II) project, funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), will support 24 selected schools and healthcare facilities across Charanchi, Mashi, Mani and Dutsi Local Government Areas.
Speaking at the state-level inception meeting of the project in Katsina, UNICEF Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Specialist, Kano Field Office, Uba Lawal, said the initiative is designed to improve the resilience of critical social infrastructure through the rehabilitation and upgrading of water and sanitation facilities.
He explained that “The intervention will help ensure continuous access to education and healthcare services during climate-related emergencies such as floods, droughts, heatwaves, and windstorms.”
Lawal noted that the project is focused on safeguarding essential services for children and vulnerable communities while supporting broader efforts to build resilience to climate change.
According to him, the first phase of implementation in Katsina will cover 24 selected facilities located in the four benefiting local government areas.
He disclosed that the programme had earlier been implemented in Kano and Jigawa states, where 84 facilities benefited from climate-resilient infrastructure upgrades, including 55 facilities in Kano and 29 in Jigawa.
Lawal added that “the expansion of the project to Katsina underscores UNICEF’s commitment to supporting sustainable development and strengthening the capacity of schools and healthcare centres to continue providing services during environmental shocks”.
According to him, contractors and supervisors would work closely with relevant government agencies throughout the implementation process, while project plans would be displayed at participating facilities to promote transparency and accountability.
The UNICEF official stressed the need for governments, institutions and communities to adopt innovative adaptation measures capable of reducing vulnerability to climate-related risks and ensuring the continuity of basic services.
The CRIBS II project is expected to improve learning and healthcare environments, enhance access to safe water and sanitation, and contribute to the development of more climate-resilient communities across Katsina State.
