Senator Kashim Shettima, Vice President of Nigeria has called for active and proactive participation from all involved, including ministries, departments, agencies, development partners, and other stakeholders to address malnutrition and food insecurity in Nigeria.
Shettima, who is also Chairman of the National Council on Nutrition, NCN, made the call while meeting with the council members at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He also approved new measures to address malnutrition and food insecurity in Nigeria in line with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s efforts to improve the nutritional status of all Nigerians.
this was contained in a statement issued by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Information, Office of the Vice President. It quoted Shettima as saying: “Our dedication to this Council reflects President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to improving the nutritional status of every Nigerian”.
He said, “Tinubu administration recognizes the urgency of the food crises and is addressing its underlying causes to develop more resilient and sustainable food systems in Nigeria.” He assured development partners and other actors of the federal government’s readiness to work with them.
The Vice President said, “We are willing and ready to work with you for the good of the Nigerian nation. Let us forge ahead with optimism and resolve, knowing that together we are making substantial changes in the lives of our people. I extend my gratitude for your steadfast support and diligent efforts.
“Collaboration is paramount to our continued success in addressing national nutrition challenges, and I encourage active and proactive participation from all involved ministries and partners, as your contributions are essential to our progress.
“Together, through robust and dynamic collaboration, we can achieve significant advancements in our mission to improve nutritional outcomes for all citizens. All the ministers are willing to collaborate with each other, anchored on maturity, mutual trust and confidence.”
Senator Shettima commended the efforts of some frontline ministries in combating malnutrition and hunger in the country, describing their actions as worthy of emulation.
His words: “I must commend the actions of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in convening a task force to address the acute malnutrition crisis in the country. The efforts have manifested in the acquisition of millions of packs of commodities.
“The joint efforts of the Minister of Health and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy to restructure the World Bank project resources securing about 30 million dollars for commodities is also highly commendable and deeply appreciated.
“The Ministry of Finance’s task force to accelerate cash transfer and the Ministry of Agriculture’s initiative to increase food availability and affordability further demonstrates our collaborative efforts.”
Mustapha Shehuri, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, on his part, indicated prioritised areas designed to address the nation’s nutritional needs. These include enhancing value chains for improved nutrition, diversifying household production and consumption with a focus on women, improving access to micronutrient-rich foods, and enhancing food safety along the value chain. He stated plans to promote nutrition research and improve the agriculture sector’s capacity to address food security and nutrition problems.
The minister said, “The strategy includes providing nutrition education, social marketing, and advocacy, as well as conducting nutrition surveillance, monitoring and evaluation to ensure the effectiveness of the initiatives.”
Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, in his remarks earlier, said the administration’s commitment to prioritising nutrition is a crucial component of national development.
“This initiative provides us an opportunity to step up our collective efforts to improve the country’s food and nutrition security,” Bagudu said.
Those who were at the meeting were Wale Edun; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mohammed Idris. Minister of Information & National Orientation, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye; Minister of Women Affairs, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Minister of Youth Development, Tunji Alausa; Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Engr.Joseph Terlumun Utsev; Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, representatives of development organisations, including the World Bank USAID, UN Agencies, and the Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRiN) project.
