The Sokoto State Government has said that it will investigate claims made by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) regarding the theft and sale of nutrition supplements donated to the state to improve the health of malnourished children.
Recall that UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Michael Juma, raised the alarm during a quarterly policy makers’ meeting in Sokoto.
He said that the supplements, provided by donors and distributed to healthcare centres across various communities, were misappropriated by individuals within the system who colluded with traders to sell them to unintended recipients.
Juma, represented at the meeting by Abrahm Mahama, further alleged that during an investigation, UNICEF discovered that certain personnel had filled cartons of supplements with stones and other objects to conceal their illicit activities.
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Responding to the allegations, the Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Asabe Balarabe, told Daily Trust in a phone interview that the state government was unaware of the issue until it was brought to light by UNICEF.
She said, “We have just come out of a meeting. We will not let this go unaddressed.”
She said an investigation would be launched to uncover the truth, identify where the theft occurred and determine who was involved.
She assured the public that the state government remained committed to tackling malnutrition and would take appropriate action against those responsible for the theft.
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