The Nasarawa State Government has inaugurated a multisectoral plan of action for food and nutrition aimed at tackling malnutrition in the state.
Speaking at the event on Friday in Lafia, Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State said the government would do everything possible toward addressing malnutrition among women and children.
Sule added that the state government had created departments in 12 ministries with budget allocations for full implementation of nutrition strategy in line with their plan to reduce the menace of malnutrition.
Gov. Sule promised to always support the renewed hope agenda of the Federal Government and empower mothers and caregivers to enable them serve their children with nutritional food.
He noted that nutritional food is important to the wellbeing and health of the people, as well as human development.
He added that the government is committed to strengthening nutritional value-chain in order to ensure a healthy population.
Sule said that quality healthcare delivery is one of the topmost priority of his administration and promised to increase the funding for nutrition programmes in the state.
“We have domesticated the maternal, infact young child nutrition policy of the progressive Governor’s Forum agenda,” he added.
On her part, Mrs Munira Abdullahi, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Planning, the coordinating ministry of the action plan, promised to ensure its full implementation.
The Commissioner also commended the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), Civil Societies Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and other partners for their support toward the effort to end malnutrition in the state.
In her goodwill message, Mrs Jane Amwe, representative of UNICEF in the state, lauded Gov. Sule for the seriousness he attached to tackling malnutrition.
She however, appealed for full implementation of the action plan and timely release of funds to ensure the success of the programme.
“Nutritional food improves health and health is wealth, therefore, any government that invest in the nutrition really want the development of its people,” she added.
Amwe therefore pledged that UNICEF would continue to support the state government to improve the situation of those already malnourished. (NAN).