FG Reiterates Commitment to Sustainable Nutrition Activities
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to promote sustainable nutrition activities in the country.
Sen. Ibrahim Hadejia, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice-President, stated this at a news conference, held on Monday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The briefing centred on the forthcoming High-Level Dialogue of Faith Leaders on Nutrition in Nigeria billed for Tuesday, April 23.
Hadejia stated that Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who is the Chairman of the National Council on Nutrition, was passionately committed towards advancing initiatives that would promote sustainable nutrition in the country.
“Therefore, the upcoming high-level dialogue between the National Council on Nutrition and the faith leaders will provide the platforms for strategic discussion and commitment towards sustainable nutrition investments for the benefit of all Nigerians.
“This event will bring together members of the National Council on Nutrition, governors, ministers, development partners and the highest apex bodies of faith and traditional institutions to establish effective and sustainable partnerships in nutrition advocacy and implementation.
“It will represent a significant opportunity to align our efforts with the national agenda and the vision to set forward by the Renewed Hope Agenda under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu,” Hadejia said.
According to him, the fight against malnutrition is not for government or organisations alone, but rather a collective responsibility that requires the active participation of all segments of society.
Also, Dr Ojuolape Solanke, National Project Manager, Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN) project, said nutrition was one of the priorities of President Tinubu’s administration knowing how it relates to growth, development and economic prosperity.
He said: “From the statistics available to Nigeria about 37 per cent of Nigerian children suffer from one form of chronic malnutrition which is exemplified by stenting rates and micronutrient deficiency.
“This has been also linked to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of any nation. Nigeria lost close to about 11 per cent of its GDP because of this critical loss of malnutrition.
“And it has been stated specifically that the first 1,000 days of any child is important.
“And, if we miss this window of opportunity to reach out to the vulnerable group of children that need this intervention then we are going for malnutrition”.
On her part, Dr Zainab Muhammad-Idris, Project Coordinator, ANRIN, Kaduna State, said faith actors have a role to play in ensuring that the right messages reach their followers, especially at the grassroots.
“So we are working closely with our non-state actors to ensure that the sermons that are delivered by our state faith leaders reach the population that are being served.
“And they used that especially the scriptures to ensure that the right messages lead to informed choices and decisions so that maternal infant and young child nutrition practices are improved across the country,” she said.
