The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare Professor Muhammad Ali Pate has charged the recently inaugurated members of the Steering Committee of the National Community Food Bank Programme to effectively play their roles for the successful execution of the programme.
Professor Pate who is the Chairman of the Steering Committee, appointed by Her Excellency, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, gave the charge during the inaugural meeting of the committee held on Friday 10th April, 2026 in Abuja.
Introducing members of the committee for inauguration, which includes among others, Representatives from Ministry of Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation, Agriculture and Food security, Women Affairs, Minister of State for Health, Permanent Secretary FMOHSW, DG, NPHCDA, the Minister said, they shall hold monthly meetings for the first six months and quarterly thereafter, in a quorum be half of the members, adding that the meetings can be hold physically or hybrid.
He further explained that the Secretariat of the committee shall circulate invites and agendas at least five days in advance with minutes validated at the next subsequent meeting, in addition he stated Secretariat will provide technical and coordination support including consolidation of national reports and tracking of all our decisions so that we are moving forward to execute.
“It’s not just to talk but actually do.
So the steering Committee goal is to ensure that doing is happening through the implementing process.”
According to the Minister, the national operational guidelines and SOPs, of the Steering Committee is to review quarterly performance reports, annual program performance reports and approve the agreed stakeholder engagement plan, the resource coordination financing plan and document partnerships and funding commitments that have been secured.
“So that is the role that we will play collectively” he noted.
Dr. Muyi Aina, the Director General NPHCDA who is the Secretary of the NCFBP while presenting the Terms of Reference for the steering committee said the ToRs are built on four thematic areas: Strategic oversights and policy alignment for the overall programme, Cross sectoral coordination within and outside government, development partners, private sector etc, advocacy champion for the programme, and resource mobilization and financing.
National Community Food Bank Programme is initiated by Her Excellency, the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, with a view to curb acute malnutrition amongst the vulnerable persons in our communities.
The programme will cover the 774 Local Government Areas and Her Excellency is expected to flag-off the programme in Borno State ends of April, 2026.
Members of the committee from both government, private organizations, and development partners attended the inaugural meeting.
Ado Bako
Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations
12/4/2026.
