NEWS
Otti Tasks Stakeholders on Finding Enduring Solutions to Malnutrition in Nigeria
Stakeholders in the Nutrition 774 Initiative have been urged to come up with enduring solutions to scorge of malnutrition threatening the future of Nigeria’s children and youth.
Abia State Governor Alex Otti spoke in Umuahia on Wednesday, while declaring open, a two-day workshop on Abia State Advocacy and Training on Nutrition 774 Initiative with the theme: “Strengthening Capacity to Drive Action for Nutrition Delivery.”
Otti noted that the N-774 Initiative can only succeed by taking a holistic view of the problems the Nigeria State is facing on the economic and social fronts.
Gov. Otti in a handshake with Uju Anwuka, the Focal Person on N-774 Initiative, Uju
He urged stakeholders to invest in agro-based solutions, stressing the need to support Agriculture as a key strategy to reduce food prices and combat hunger.
The governor maintained that Nigeria is too blessed to be battling with the crisis of malnutrition.
“There is a direct link between malnutrition and poverty, malnutrition and unemployment, malnutrition and insecurity, and, of course, malnutrition and social uncertainty,” Otti said.
“These realities invite us as stakeholders to think broadly and come up with enduring solutions to the ticking time bomb, that is hunger and poor nutrition.”
Governor Otti assured that he would do everything required to address malnutrition holistically.
“As requested by the N774 implementation team, we shall work with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON), in the State to drive this programme in the communities.
“We shall also make all relevant appointments and set up the important structures that will see to the effective implementation of the program in all nooks and crannies of our State, Gov. Otti stated.
Some participants at the training
He commended the Federal Government for developing a holistic framework to address malnutrition, noting that the N-774 initiative is a timely intervention to save the future.
In an address, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health and Focal Person on Nutrition 774, Mrs. Uju Anwuka said the workshop was designed to introduce the initiative to the key stakeholders in Abia State.
Mrs. Anwuka described malnutrition as a national emergency needing urgent and coordinated efforts, strong political will and a multisectoral approach to deal with.
She also called for the integration of nutrition into the State’s Agriculture, Education, and Health sectors, stressing the need for Abia to take full ownership of the initiative through strong institutional commitment and collaboration.
Eze Faraday Chinekwe and other traditional ruler at the event
Earlier, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Kingsley Anosike noted that the workshop would focus on identifying the critical factors needed to achieve the initiative’s objectives and urged all participants to engage fully to ensure its success.
In their goodwill messages, ALGON Chairman Abia State, Chinedu Ekeke and a representative of the Traditional Rulers, Eze Faraday Chinekwe pledged to take home the lessons derivable from the training.