Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has hailed the intervention of New Incentives – All Babies Are Equal as one of the most impactful healthcare initiatives in the state, particularly in promoting infant immunization.
Receiving a delegation from the NGO at Government House, the governor expressed surprise at the scale of its work and pledged full government collaboration.
He directed the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency to provide the group with office space and to give regular progress updates. He also suggested adding maternity kits and other non-cash incentives to further encourage women to access health services.
Governor Bala reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to partnering with local and international organizations to improve maternal and child health, and thanked the program’s funders for their support.
Earlier, the NGO’s Stakeholder Relations Director, Nura Muhammad, revealed that since its launch in 2022, the program has reached over 734,000 caregivers with conditional cash transfers worth more than ₦4 billion across eleven northern states.
In Bauchi alone, more than 325 people have been employed under the scheme, which has reduced the number of zero-dose children by 32 percent.
He appealed for the governor’s support in radio campaigns and in mobilizing traditional rulers to address vaccine skepticism, especially in rural areas.
By Lizzy Carr
