Kaduna State Launches Taskforce to Track and Safeguard Nutrition Commodities
By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna
In a decisive move to strengthen accountability and ensure life-saving nutrition supplies reach those who need them most, the Kaduna State Government has inaugurated a 17-member taskforce committee charged with tracking and preventing the diversion of nutrition commodities.
The inauguration, held on Wednesday, was led by the Commissioner of the Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), Mukhtar Ahmed Monrovia, who emphasized that the initiative responds to growing concerns that essential nutrition supplies were not consistently reaching women and children across the state.
“Government and development partners have invested significantly in nutrition interventions over the years.
“However, the success of these efforts depends on transparency, proper utilization, and effective monitoring systems. We have observed gaps suggesting that some of these commodities are not getting to the last mile,” Monrovia said.
He explained that the newly established taskforce, which is expandable as needed, has a clear mandate to strengthen tracking systems, ensure timely and accurate reporting, and monitor the distribution and use of nutrition commodities across Kaduna State.
Monrovia added that committee members were carefully selected for their competence and integrity, urging them to approach their responsibilities with diligence and a strong sense of duty.
“The expectations are high. This assignment is critical to improving service delivery, restoring public trust, and achieving better nutrition outcomes,” he stated.
Mukhtar Abdullahi, Permanent Secretary in PBC and Chairman of the taskforce, reinforced the committee’s accountability focus, noting that it was created in response to persistent complaints about the diversion of aid and nutrition commodities.
“We have reason to believe that these commodities are not reaching the last mile; the people they are meant for.
“This committee is here to monitor, track, and ensure proper utilization. These supplies, largely targeted at children and women, must be safeguarded to protect the most vulnerable groups in society,” Abdullahi said.
Speaking on behalf of UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, Nutrition Specialist, Chinwe Ezeife commended the state government for taking decisive action.
She described the taskforce as a critical step toward strengthening transparency and accountability in the management of public health commodities.
“Misuse, diversion, and inefficient management must be avoided. These commodities are meant to improve nutritional outcomes and save lives, especially among vulnerable populations,” Ezeife said.
She also reaffirmed UNICEF’s commitment to providing technical support to ensure effective implementation, proper documentation, and robust accountability mechanisms.
The 17-member taskforce includes representatives from key ministries, departments, and agencies, alongside development partners, academia, and civil society organizations.
Its work is expected to provide coordinated, multi-sectoral oversight, improving monitoring systems and ensuring that nutrition interventions deliver measurable impact.
