Improved Allocation for Malnutrition: CS-SUNN Trains Journalists on Holding Government Accountable
By Alex Uangbaoje, Abuja
As part of measures to get journalists acquitted with their roles in ensuring improved allocation, transparency and accountability in the use of health/nutrition funds in nigeria, non-governmental, Civil Society Scaling-up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), on Monday commenced a 3-day media training for journalists in six states of Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Lagos and Nasarawa.
CS-SUNN is a non-governmental, non-profit making coalition, made up of organizations with a shared vision to transform Nigeria into a country where every citizen has food and is nutrition secured.
CS-SUNN is presently implementing the Partnership for Improving Nigeria Nutrition Systems (PINNS), a project designed to strengthen the Nigeria nutrition systems to be more Result- driven, Effective, Serviceable, Efficient and Transparent (RESET) in delivering on their mandate. The project is to be implemented in five states namely; Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Lagos and Nasarawa.
Speaking at the opening of the meeting holding in Abuja, Communication Officer of CS-SUNN, Lilian Ajah-mong, explained that malnutrition remains a serious challenge that has severe consequences for families and countries and contributes to under development.
She said inadequate funding, untimely/non-releases and lack of accountability and transparency in use of appropriated funds for nutrition interventions remain a contributory factor to the prevalence of malnutrition in Nigeria.
According her, the training is aimed to engender on participants, passion and commitment to reporting health and nutrition issues through site visits for first-hand experience of challenges in the sector.
“Disseminate/Interpret the 2014-2018 health and nutrition budget
analysis to Health editors/reporters. Increase salience of nutrition and make it a front burning issue on
agenda of government.
“Get Media commitment to wnte articles that will inform the populace and hold government accountable to commitments made to commitment made to Health/Nutrition sector in Nigeria and focal states.” Lilian added.
She emphasised that the need for the media to play its role as watchdogs of the society in holding government accountable to commitments made to eradicating the scourge in Nigeria. It is therefore in line with CS-SUNN’s goal to increase salience of nutrition issues in Nigeria.
