Members of Ward Development Committees (WDCs) across the 23 Local Government Areas of Sokoto State have been urged to step up in their responsibilities in addressing community challenges.

A resource person for the three-day training organized by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Rashidat Olabisi Babalola, made this call while monitoring the sessions.

Babalola emphasized the importance of teamwork and the need for WDC members to identify and address key issues within their communities, particularly in key areas of healthcare, education, nutrition, water sanitation, hygiene and child protection.

She highlighted that such efforts could help change the narrative by reducing the number of out-of-school children, lowering infant and maternal mortality rates, curbing open defecation, and promoting antenatal care and immunization uptake, among other critical interventions.

According to her, the training was designed to empower and strengthen the capacity of WDC members to meaningfully engage their communities to explore the root causes of their problems and plan local solutions to address them.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the State Ward Development Committee, Bala Gadanga, commended UNICEF and the relevant MDAs for their foresight and pledged that members would apply the knowledge gained for the benefit of their communities, particularly children and women.

Similarly, a participant, Hajiya Fatima Larai Tahir, expressed appreciation to UNICEF for ensuring the active participation of women in the initiative.