From Mohammed Ibrahim Kaduna
Kaduna State Government has approved a monthly allowance of 10,000 naira for 17,139 Ward Heads (Mai Ungwas) in the state.
The ward heads are from the 34 chiefdoms of the state and the monthly allowance was in an effort to strengthen routine immunization against killer diseases.
Commissioner of Local Government, Prof. Kabiru Mato disclosed this yesterday at a news briefing held at the Local government ministry.
Mato said Kaduna state will spend over N170m monthly in paying each ward head N10,000 as an incentive to encourage them to sustain their roles against polio.
“As you are aware, repeated immunization campaigns have and continue to be conducted to protect our young children against polio and other diseases.
“Again the governor has led by example, making his children available to front the vaccination campaigns” “the government, with the support of its partners, is steadily institutionalizing routine immunization as a wide spread, accessible and primary framework for immunization. This means that the necessary vaccines are available all year round.”
“The success of these health protection initiatives for our children at the grassroots depends on the active involvement of village and ward heads. These layers of traditional ruler ship know the residents of their communities, including the infants and other vulnerable persons,” he said.
Mato added that their unique location makes village and ward heads such valuable partners in increasing immunization coverage, and improving record-keeping at the grassroots.” They can mobilise communities to participate in immunization, and to register births and deaths.
“For these roles,the state government has decided to pay a monthly allowance to 17,139 ward and village heads. This allowance represents a token of appreciation for their roles in complimenting formal government efforts to deliver public goods in the health and security sectors,” Mato explained.
