UNICEF Handover Kaduna Warehouse to Contractor for Renovation

By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), on Monday handed over its warehouse in Kaduna to Beacon Creative Ideas Ltd for renovation in a brief ceremony attended by government officials, Contractor’s Representatives,

UNICEF representatives and others.The renovation works which is expected to last for three months will upgrade the warehouse to a model storage facility for UNICEF’s health and nutrition supplies.

Speaking during the handover, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Kaduna, Dr. Gerida Birukila, who was represented by the Nutrition Specialist, Mrs. Chinwe Ezeife, noted that the occasion was a milestone for the field office.

“This is the warehouse through which we store and secure our supplies. Kaduna has over 23 LGAs requiring supplies and it even goes beyond Kaduna Field Office, sometimes Sokoto and Kano Field Offices have had costs to keep their supplies here.

“So we will not over-emphasize the importance of warehousing to supply storage and quality service.We are highly excited because this will go a long way to improve our programs, timely supplies and invariably improving the health and nutrition status of women and children in the field office and equally in other field offices.” She said.

Chinwe, expressed appreciation to the Kaduna State Government through the State Health Supply Management Agency for providing the facility, assuring that UNICEF will continue to support the government.

Also Speaking, the Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Health Supplies Management Agency, Pharmacist Aisha Isyaku, who was represented by the Director of Logistics and Operations of the agency, Pharmacist Musa Mohammed, said the state government is appreciative of the gesture because it will not just help in warehousing health commodities, it will also make distribution easier.

“It’s a milestone, which we are going to leverage on to make distribution and warehousing on the highest level in the state.

“So we thank UNICEF for coming in to remodel the warehouse and we hope they will not just stop at this but also look at other facilities within the premises.” Musa added.

On his part, the Managing Director of Beacon Creative Ideas Ltd, Dubem Okereke, assures that the company will complete the project within the three months timeline.

According to him, his organisation is known for quality delivery and that it is not their first time working for UNICEF.

“We are a returning contact and that’s a sign of quality. We have a few experiences working for them and we are going to stick with the three months completion target.” Dubem stated.