By Philip Yatai

The Kaduna State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN) has commended the state Ministry for Local Government Affairs, for its commitment to ending malnutrition in the state.

The committee gave the commendation when its members, supported by the Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), visited the commissioner in his office in Kaduna on Friday.

Malam Salisu Lawal, Director, Development Aid Coordination, Planning and Budget Commission, noted that the ministry has facilitated the creation of a nutrition budget line in the budget of the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.

Lawal added that the budget, which amounted to more than N600 million was  allocated for Infant and Young Child Feeding, Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) and food and nutrition activities.

He added that to facilitate the cash backing of the allocated funds, the ministry had also  ensured the monthly release of N1 million,  by each of the LGAs, to implement nutrition programmes.

The director also commended the commissioner for granting the committee’s request to increase the allocation for CMAM programme, to complement government’s efforts in procuring ready-to-use therapeutic food for treatment of malnourished children in the state.

”This is quite commendable and we want to say thank you for the commitment and passion in supporting ongoing efforts, to address the problem of malnutrition in the state,” he said.

He appealed to the commissioner to designate a dedicated Nutrition Desk Officer, that would be attending the committee’s meetings and coordinate nutrition programming in the ministry.

Also speaking, Mr Steven Odawn, CS-SUNN Advocacy Sub-Committee Chairman in Kaduna , commended the ministry for the commitment, while soliciting  for more collaboration and partnership.

Responding, the commissioner, Malam Ja’afaru Sani, thanked the committee for the visit which he described as “crucial” to strengthening the needed coordination in the malnutrition response in the state.

Sani assured the committee that the ministry would work with the State House of Assembly, which was  currently working on the 2021 budget of the  Local Government, for an upward  review of the nutrition.

”We will also designate a Nutrition Desk Officer as requested, to work with you for the interest and nutritional wellbeing of women and children under five years, in the state.

”We will continue to support ongoing efforts toward providing women and children, the needed support to live a healthy and quality life,” he said.