By Philip Yatai

The Kaduna State Accountant-General, Shizzer Bada on Tuesday promised to cash backed approved nutrition funds, to ensure timely implementation of nutrition programmes in the state.

Bada made the promise when the State Committee on Food and Nutrition, supported by Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) visited her in Kaduna.

She expressed commitment to be part of the drive to improve the nutrition status of women and children in the state by ensuring timely cash backing of approved funds to implement nutrition activities.

“I have seen children starving. Whatever I can do to make sure that our children are well fed and nourished I will do.

“I assure you that this office will cash backed nutrition budget releases to enable the relevant agencies to implement planned interventions to prevent children from dying of malnutrition,” she said.

Similarly, Mr Thomas Gyang, Commissioner, Planning and Budget Commission, also assured the committee and CS-SUNN of ensuring timely releases of approved budgets for nutrition intervention.

Gyang who gave the assurance in his office, also promised to follow up with the Ministry of Finance and the Accountant General to ensure that the released funds were cash backed.

“Just let me know when released funds are not being cash backed and I will follow up with the relevant offices to make sure that relevant agencies received the needed funds to implement activities.

“Earlier, Malam Salihu Lawal, Director, Development Aid Coordination, Planning and Budget Commission, complained of the recurrent delay in cash backing of released funds to implement planned activities.

Lawal said that the committee along with CS-SUNN, UNICEF and other partners were at the Accountant-General Office to solicit for timely cash backing of released funds for nutrition interventions.

This, according to him, will go a long way in strengthening the fight against malnutrition in the state.

While at Gyang Office, Ms Jessica Bartholomew, Coordinator of CS-SUNN in the state, said that the visit was to appreciate the commission for the effective coordination of nutrition activities.

Bartholomew added that the visit was also to strengthen collaboration in the implementation of nutrition interventions across relevant ministries, departments, and agencies.

She urged the commission to place utmost priority on nutrition intervention to reverse the disturbing indices of malnutrition in the state.

On his part, CS-SUNN’s Chairman, Mr Ifedilichukwu Ekene-Innocent, said that lack lauded the commitment and prayed that those commitments would be translated to actions that would improve the nutrition status of women and children in the state.