The Ministry of Budget and National Planning has presented a proposal for the South-South Cooperation assisted projects to stakeholders for inputs and comments.
Ms Jessica Ahgu, an official of the Department of International Cooperation, presented the proposal on behalf of the ministry at a meeting in Abuja yesterday.
Ahgu spoke at a two-day meeting of the National Task Force Partners in Population and Development (PPD) on South-South Cooperation and MBNP, UN Population Fund (UNFPA), MDAs and Implementing Partners.
According to her, the proposal is developed in collaboration with the UNFPA.
“The proposal is to access assistance to implement projects in the two key areas.
“The areas are to harness the Demographic Dividend (DD) for Sustainable Development, and Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRV) for Evidence and Data,” she said.
In addition, the official said the ministry had conducted a National Taskforce meeting for partners in 2016 to discuss their achievements and challenges to build their capacity.
She said that no fewer than 14 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) attended the Taskforce meeting.
Ahgu said that the partners had developed an Operational Guide for the Implementation of the Addis Ababa Declaration on Population and Development in Africa Beyond 2014 for follow-up and domestication.
She also said that presentations on the outcomes and recommendations of the 49th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development were presented and discussed at the meeting.
On challenges, the official attributed late implementation of activities to the delay in the signing of Annual Work Plan.
She said that the delay was also as a result of the delay in National Budget process at the ministry.
She further said failure of the government to fulfil its counterpart obligations due to the current economic downturn also delayed implementation of some of the UNFPA-assisted projects in the country.
Mr Fatigun Adewale, who presented on behalf of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), said the UNFPA had assisted the FCTA to implement some projects on family planning and health.
“A number of 30 health care providers (Nurses/Midwives) were trained on Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) – Family Planning.
“Equally, 30 Health care providers -Doctors, Nurses/Midwives and Community Health Workers were trained on Active Management of Third Stage of Labour.
“Overall, healthcare providers were empowered to provide services that will enhance the wellbeing our girls, women and mothers,’’ he said.
Adewale, however, emphasised on the need to address some of the challenges hindering effective implementation of UNFPA project in the FCT.
He said there was need for more fund to train more staff on LARC and “AMTSL’’ in the FCT especially in the Area Councils.
“For example, out of the current 234 facilities currently providing Family Planning Services, less than 100 provide Long Acting Methods.
“Non release of Counterpart fund by the FCTA. This could be seen from two perspectives -late passage of FCT Statutory Budget by the National Assembly.
“Secondly, lack of political will to release counterpart funds,’’ the official said.
On his part, Malam Muhammad Tola said that the agency is enjoying a robust partnership with the UNFPA.
However, Tola said that inadequate funding and delays in releasing funds for the implementation of the Agreed Work Plan were some of the challenges threatening the activities.
He called for increased funding, capacity building and effective synergy among the implementing partners to drive the goals of the South-South Cooperation and SDGs to attain sustainable national development.
The National Task Force for PPD is the bridge builder in implementing the objectives of the South-South Cooperation.
It seeks to implement the objectives of promoting family planning, gender, sexual, reproductive health, and population and development to enhance capacity building.