FIC Report (Benue State) – Governor Hyacinth Alia has described investment in the health and nutrition of children from birth as one of the most powerful ways to end poverty and set the stage for a prosperous future.
Governor Alia gave the description on Thursday 23rd Jan, 2025 during a Policy Dialogue meeting with state Executive, legislative and stakeholders organized by Benue state Budget and Economic Planning Commission in collaboration with United Nations Children Fund UNICEF at Nnam Hotel in makurdi.
Represented by the State Deputy Governor, Doctor Sam. Ode, the Governor who noted that good nutrition was foundational to all aspects of human development in the area of physical, cognitive, and social needs with studies showing that the First one thousand days of a child’s life from conception to the age of two are the most critical period for brain development and growth, adding that the nutritional needs of children and adolescents are worsened by socio- economic factors while include limited awareness, poor feeding practices, and lack of adequate maternal nutrition during pregnancy preventing families from making the right nutritional choices and accessing to ensure their children’s health growth and development.
As a result of the challenges, Governor Alia, stated that his administration approved the Benue state Nutrition policy and its strategic and costed plan for a coordinated, multi-sectoral approach to tackling malnutrition, bringing together government development partners, civil society, and local community to provide a roadmap for improving maternal, infant, young child and adolescent nutrition through interventions that focus on improving nutrition, promote exclusive breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices in the early years with enhanced access to nutritious food for children and adolescents as well as raising awareness and mobilize communities to adopt optimal nutrition practices.
Chief of the UNICEF Field office,Enugu, Doctor Shamina Sharmin commended the state Government for its commitment towards ending all forms of malnutrition through the approval and lunch of the Benue state policy on food and the Nutrition, and the state multi-sectoral strategic plan for Nutrition.
Doctor Sharmin expressed commitment to partner with the Government in implementing the strategic plan, called for increased budgetary allocations for nutrition through the match funding mechanism, strengthened multi-sectoral collaboration and extension of six months paid maternity leave to empower working mothers to give their children the best start in life while contributing to workforce retention and productivity.
In a paper presentation, professor K.M. Anigo who spoke on Benue state multi-sectoral plan, said nutrition intervention has proven to be cost effective which could lead to a turnaround for Benue, sued for partnership between the Government and stakeholders to implement the plan that requires a public investment over a five year period from this year to two thousand and thirty.
At the event, good will messages were presented by representatives of federal Ministry of Health, World Health Organization among others and panelists.
Signed
BRIDGET TARKER
HOC FIC MAKURDI
