The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, has called for a multi-sectorial approach towards addressing the scourge of malnutrition in the country.
Prince Agba made this call at the National Council on Nutrition (NCN) sub –committee meeting held on Thursday, January 9th 2020, at the Conference Room of the Ministry.
He said that the burden of malnutrition had become worrisome in the country, pointing out that its impact and socio-economic severity were being felt in almost every stratum of our livelihood.
According to the Minister “available records on nutrition status serve as verifiable indicators to the fact that malnutrition is now a source of concern in most of the developing countries, Nigeria inclusive”.
Agba said the Ministry would use its capacity as Secretariat to both the NCN and National Committee on Food and Nutrition (NCFN) to pursue policies aimed at improving the nutritional status of the country.
In her remarks, the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said malnutrition is a major social issue in the Country and called on all Stakeholders, State Government to improve on the awareness.
The Chairman of the sub-committee, Emir of Kano, HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II, said the meeting was aimed at designing policies and priorities that would enable government address the problem of malnutrition in the country.
According to him, the available statistics on the problem of malnutrition was worrisome and requires drastic and deliberate efforts of all concerned to deal with it.
The Emir called on the members of the committee to come up with meaningful contributions to address this national problem.
IFEANYI OKEREKE
FOR: Director Information (MBNP)
