The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has called for total implementation of the national nutrition policy to address malnutrition in Nigeria.
The Deputy Representative, UNICEF Nigeria, Pernille Ironside made the call at the National Council on Nutrition (NCN) Sub-Committee Meeting on Nutrition Awareness on Saturday in Kano.
She charged the state and federal governments to invest in nutrition through adequate funding and prompt release of funds allocated to the sector.
“The reason why Nigeria should invest in nutrition is that early nutrition programmes increase school completion.
“We must invest in nutrition because malnutrition is hampering survival and development of children,” Ironside said.
The deputy rep noted that Kano, Katsina and Bauchi States were among the nine states that contributed to stunted children in Nigeria and called for stringent measures to check the ugly trend.
She lamented that only 156 out of the 774 local government areas in the country were implementing extensive nutrition programme which is 20 per cent of the total number of the LGAs.
According to her, of the 12 million stunted children in the country, Kano State had 1.4 million children.
In her opening remarks, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed stressed the importance of the interactive meeting.
The minister urged the stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of nutrition policy in their respective states so as to achieve the desired objective.
Earlier in his remarks, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II said the meeting was aimed to highlight the nutrition situation in the country with a view to finding a lasting solution to the problem.
He said the meeting would also give stakeholders the opportunity to discuss possible ways of addressing the nutrition crisis in the country.
The meeting which was attended by various stakeholders including representatives of the Ministries of Health, Budget and National Planning was held at the Emir’s Palace.
A group, Coalition of Arewa Youth Forum has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency, sack the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi over his negative comments on the ongoing Nigeria River Ports, which they view as sabotage on the nation’s economy. In a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna […]
Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has said no part of the comment made by the Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Mathew Hassan Kukah against President Muhammadu Buhari denigrated Islam. Soyinka, in a statement on Monday, said that the calls by some Muslims fanatics that he (Kukah) should apologise or leave Sokoto were unacceptable. According to […]
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has condemned the recent abduction and killing of security operatives by terrorists, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to go the whole distance to put an end to all forms of killings across the country. The PDP gave the charge, Monday in a statement issued by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan. The main […]
The federal government, Monday,declared that no COVID-19 test was required for returning students to be admitted into their schools. But the government,in a terse statement by the Federal Ministry of Education, Monday,explained that only temperature test should be carried out on students. In the statement released by the ministry’s Director,Press and Public Relations, Bem Goong, […]
Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has said that the state government would deploy the over 800 Police constabulary personnel across the state to enforce strict compliance with the state’s regulations to check the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The governor said defaulters would be prosecuted and those found guilty convicted by mobile courts set […]
The Tsaunin Kura GRA Residents Association (Sabo GRA), Chikun Local Government’Area of Kaduna State has described the demise of two members of its Board of Trustees within a spate of two weeks as shocking, devastating and sad. The deceased are Elder Daniel Gogara and Mr. Stephen Unogwu. This was expressed in a statement signed by […]
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has urged the Federal Government to mobilise and encourage universities and research institutes to find a lasting solution to the scourge of COVID-19. Dr Dipo Akomolafe, Chairman, ASUU, Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH) Chapter, Okitipupa, Ondo State, gave the advice in an interview with the […]
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Friday, donated the sum of N5 million and 150 bags of 50kg rice to widows of fallen heroes in the state in commemoration of the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day. Gov. Ugwuanyi who handed over a cheque of N5 million to the General Officer Commanding, GOC, of the […]
A youth group has given the Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, a 14-day ultimatum to accept its call on him to contest the 2023 presidential election,threatening that it would mobilize Nigerians to occupy the streets if he delays to accept its request. Members of the group under the aegis of GYB2PYB,marched to the Kogi State […]
Governor Nyesom Wike has join the calls for change of Nigeria’s heads of security and rejigging of the nation’s security architecture as Boko Haram and bandits up north continue to overwhelm federal forces. Wike during wreath laying and parade to mark 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, on Friday, said the […]