Nrs Ndak Zuhunnan, Project Manager of the Immunization Plus and Malaria Progress by Acceleration Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project, on Wednesday 15th January, 2025 reaffirmed the project’s commitment to significantly reducing infant and maternal mortality rates, aiming for a healthier, more productive, and prosperous population in Plateau State. This statement was made during a presentation of the project’s scorecard by the Project Manager during the State visit of Dr. Ndiamé Diop, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria.

Nrs Ndak highlighted key challenges faced by Plateau State prior to the project’s implementation, emphasizing the project’s focus on increasing antenatal clinic attendance, ensuring skilled birth attendance, and promoting immunization uptake to minimize under-five mortality rates. The project aims to reduce under-five mortality from 132 to 79 per 1,000 births by 2030 and improve the utilization and quality of immunization plus and malaria services statewide.

Key achievements according to him include training support for the 17 Local Government Areas, stakeholder engagement, renovation of delivery rooms, provision of laptops for digital reporting, and distribution of motorcycles for emergency response and vaccine delivery. Integrated supportive supervision and mentorship programs have also been conducted across 207 facilities to enhance quality care.

He also stated that the project has awarded contracts for the renovation and revitalization of 82 Primary Health Care Facilities across the Local Government Areas in the State.
The Project Manager credited the successes achieved thus far in the project to the steadfast commitment and support provided to the IMPACT Project by Governor Caleb Mutfwang. He praised the Governor of Plateau State for prioritizing healthcare and for making available counterpart funding.

The Executive Governor of Plateau State, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, while welcoming the World Bank Team, reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to fostering strategic partnerships that drive sustainable development within the State. Governor Mutfwang commended the World Bank’s Country Director, Dr. Ndiamé Diop, for his unwavering commitment to Africa’s development since assuming office. He assured the World Bank Team of his administration’s readiness to collaborate with institutions that add value to the State and its citizens. Governor Mutfwang noted that “the kind of understanding, collaboration and synergy we are developing I can see it moving us to the right direction where we can be able to achieve the development objectives as set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Charter so that we can be able to maximize the opportunities that are at our disposal”
He expressed disappointment over the World Bank’s insufficient participation in the State’s affairs in the past, attributing this to the State’s inability to provide effective leadership that could deliver targeted results, and pledged to rectify this situation. He stated that the present Administration is committed to ensuring that all projects executed in the State offer value for money.
“What I can tell you is that we have been able to re-energize our focus in terms of delivery for every project we are involved in”
He said his focus is to lift the People of the State out of poverty and make them prosperous.
The Governor undertook to execute projects that would yield enduring benefits for the State and its Citizens.

In his initial remarks, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Ndiamé Diop, acknowledged Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s partnership, ensuring the World Bank’s sustained support for projects in the State. He applauded the Governor’s outstanding leadership. Dr. Diop noted that the State provides the World Bank with opportunities to enhance its project portfolio and develop more effective support strategies.

The World Bank Team applauded the Governor for bringing together a skilled team to administer all World Bank-supported projects in the State.

“From the interaction we have had so far, you are always proactive and candid in sharing your feedbacks with us. So we are here to interact on the portfolios of ongoing projects and see how better we can come up with impactful interventions to the State”
The World Bank Team also underscored the necessity for the State to uphold global standards in project execution and committed to providing further interventions for increased impact.

The event also featured presentations from the World Bank-supported projects in Plateau State such as the Sustainable Urban and Rural Water Supply, Sanitation, and Hygiene (SURWASH) Program Plateau State, The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, (AGILE) Project, Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme, Rural Access & Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), Social Engagement for Budgetary Accountability (SEBA) and Agro-Climatic Resilience Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL).