Hajiya Hafsat Baba, Commissioner, Kaduna State Ministry of Human Services and Social Development says the ministry will create a dedicated budget line for nutrition interventions.
Baba disclosed this on Thursday when the state Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN), supported by Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) her office in Kaduna.
“We will work with the Planning and Budget Commission (PBC) to create a budget line for nutrition activities that will be specifically designed to prevent malnutrition among women and children.
“As the ministry of Human Services and Social Development, the welfare and wellbeing of women and children are under our purview and we will do everything possible to improve their livelihood.
“Nutrition, being a critical component of a child’s survival, growth and development, it makes a lot of sense to create a budget line that will ensure households access to nutritious food to prevent malnutrition,” she said.
She also said that the ministry would dedicate a committed and passionate officer as Nutrition Desk Officer to coordinate nutrition activities in the ministry.
She added that the officer would also be representing the ministry in the meetings of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition and provide feedback for action.
The commissioner thanked the committee for the visit and promised increased commitment to nutrition activities to sustain the progress being recorded in the fight against malnutrition.
Earlier, Malam Salisu Lawal, Director, Development Aid Coordination, PBC, said that the committee and other nutrition partners were in her office to get the ministry’s buy-in and commitment to the fight against malnutrition.
Lawal also appealed to the commissioner to create a budget line for nutrition and designate a dedicated Nutrition Desk Officer to facilitate the implementation of nutrition interventions in the ministry.
“Currently there is no budget line for nutrition in the ministry and there is little that you can do to prevent malnutrition among women and children without a specific budget line.
“We, therefore, appeal to your honourable office to consider creating a budget line that will enable the ministry implement preventive interventions against malnutrition.
Also speaking, Mr Steven Odawn, Chairman, Advocacy Sub-committee, CS-SUNN, Kaduna Chapter, described nutrition as a “critical driver” for human capital development, stressing that no human society would develop without adequate nutrition for it’s population. (NAN)
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