'Seun Ibukun-Oni, Abuja
DAILY COURIER – The National Council on Nutrition (NCN) has approved new measures to combat malnutrition and food insecurity across Nigeria. This aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration's efforts to improve the nutritional status of all Nigerians.
During a meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Vice President Kashim Shettima, who chairs the NCN, emphasized the need for active participation from all stakeholders, including ministries, departments, agencies, development partners, and other relevant parties.
"Our dedication to this Council reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's unwavering commitment to improving the nutritional status of every Nigerian," VP Shettima stated.
One key measure approved is the creation of a national nutrition dashboard. This will be hosted by the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and will also be available on the NCN's website. The dashboard aims to provide better oversight and coordination of nutrition-related initiatives nationwide.
Referring to the recently established Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit, which operates within the framework of the Presidential Economic Coordination Committee, VP Shettima highlighted the administration's recognition of the urgent food crises and its efforts to address the root causes, aiming to develop more resilient and sustainable food systems in Nigeria.
VP Shettima commended all stakeholders in the nutrition sector and assured development partners and other actors of the federal government's readiness to collaborate. "We are willing and ready to work with you for the good of the Nigerian nation. Let us forge ahead with optimism and resolve, knowing that together we are making substantial changes in the lives of our people," he said.
He stressed the importance of collaboration in addressing national nutrition challenges, encouraging active and proactive participation from all involved ministries and partners. "Together, through robust and dynamic collaboration, we can achieve significant advancements in our mission to improve nutritional outcomes for all citizens."
Senator Shettima praised the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for convening a task force to address the acute malnutrition crisis, noting their acquisition of millions of packs of commodities. He also commended the joint efforts of the Minister of Health and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy for restructuring World Bank project resources, securing about $30 million for commodities.
He further acknowledged the Ministry of Finance’s task force to accelerate cash transfers and the Ministry of Agriculture's initiatives to increase food availability and affordability as exemplary collaborative efforts.
Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, emphasized the administration's commitment to prioritizing nutrition as a crucial component of national development. "This initiative provides us an opportunity to step up our collective efforts to improve the country's food and nutrition security," Bagudu stated.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, outlined eight interrelated priority areas designed to address the nation's nutritional needs. These include enhancing value chains for improved nutrition, diversifying household production and consumption with a focus on women, improving access to micronutrient-rich foods, and enhancing food safety along the value chain. The strategy also includes building resilience and social protection networks for vulnerable groups, promoting nutrition research, improving the agriculture sector's capacity to address food security and nutrition problems, providing nutrition education, social marketing, advocacy, and conducting nutrition surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation to ensure the effectiveness of the initiatives.
The meeting was attended by various ministers, including the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye; Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim; and Minister of Information & National Orientation, Mohammed Idris. Also present were the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa; Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engr. Prof. Joseph Terlumun Utsev; and representatives from development organizations such as the World Bank, USAID, UN Agencies, and the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project.