UNICEF urges legislators Oyo to give priority to children in the implementation of the budget

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) urged the Chamber of the Oyo State Assembly to strengthen its legislative and supervision roles to ensure that budget allocations are translated into tangible improvements in the lives of children throughout the state.

The head of the UNICEF Lagos field office, Mrs. Celine Lafoucriere, made the call on Monday at the inauguration of a three -day budgeting budgeting seminar for legislators in the state of Oyo, held at the Hotel de Aruna, Oyo Town.

The workshop was organized as part of the Susi project financed by the European Union, with a technical support of UNICEF.

Lafoucriere observed that while the state of Oyo had shown a leadership in institutionalizing the reforms, including the adoption of a social protection policy and a medium -term medium -term development plan, there are still gaps in children’s health, education and social well -being.

He said:“In its center, this seminar concerns children. As the resources are planned, assigned and monitored will determine if every child in Oyo can survive, learn and thrive. And here, the legislative and supervision roles of the assembly are fundamental.”

By giving a distribution of the state budget of 2025, Lafoucriere praised Oyo to allocate ₦ 145 billion (21 % of the total budget) to education, ₦ 59 billion health and ₦ 2.18 billion of social protection – a quadruple increase in two years.

He said allocations offer real opportunities for 1.7 million state children below five and 334,000 children still outside the school.

However, he warned that he must do more to face existing challenges. According to her, only 37 % of one -year -old children in the state is completely immunized, one in three children are stunted and more than four million residents still exert an open defecation.

Lafougiere has urged legislators to support and increase allocations for children, ensure that funds are released and efficiently used and promote policies based on evidence and transparent reports.

“Together, we can make Oyo’s budget more than a declaration of intent. We can make it a tool of real change for children,” he added.

Declaring the open workshop, the commissioner for the budget and economic planning, Prof. Musibau Babaunde, said that the training was aimed at evolving strategies for the implementation of the balance sheet based on the results in the state.

He stressed that the Oyo budget was not a simple technical exercise but a fundamental governance tool, adding that the state had adopted an inclusive and low approach that gives priority to health and education.

“We have adopted a top-down approach in our budget framework. It has always been inclusive in Oyo’s state. It implies an entire chain of activity that improves transparency and strengthens our governance process,” said Babaunde.

The rapporteur and the members of the Oyo State House of Assembly, the employee of the Chamber, Mrs. Taiwo Adenike Muraina-Akinola, high official officials and development partners was attended.

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