By Ismaila Muhammad
The Civil Society Organization Known as Civil Society SC-SUNN (Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria) National Headquarters in ABUJA has advocated that line Ministries, Departments and Government Agencies (MDAs) in Kano State to Established Nutrition Departments of Units in their respective office so as to have healthy family and Nursing Mothers in the state.
The Co-Chairman of the Organization Mrs AJi Robinson who led the team from the National Secretariat of the Organization on an advocacy visit to Kano State made the request when they pay for an advocacy visit to the Ministries of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Ministry of Women Affairs, Health, Ministry of Education as well as State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).
She said establishing of such Departments will go along way in creating job opportunities for young graduate who specialized in food and Nutrition and ensure the production of healthy families especially young children as well as those yet unborn.
Mrs Robinson also has called on the State Government to made adequate budgetary allocation for the new departments or unit in their annual budget for their smooth take up with technical personal that can man them and also implored the MDAs to extend maternity leave for pregnant workers and their husbands should be allowed to leave for two weeks to assist the mothers to breastfeed their babies very well.
According to the Co-Chair of the organization, the Federal Government during the National Council of food and Nutrition under the Chairmanship of Vice President which her organization is a member the former president Muhammad Buhari has signed and approved for states line MDAs to establish departments or units of nutrition for the country to have a decent and healthy families.
She said many states have started implementation the directive citing an example of Nasarawa and others stressing that going by the numeral strength of Kano in terms of high population, said it was very paramount to join the league immediately.
She expressed confidence that Kano will take the lead when considering the fact that her malnutrition rate was about 46 percent higher that of the National.
The State Coordinator of the Organization at the Ministry of Budget and Planning Malam Muktar Sadiq, and the State Chairperson Hajiya Ali Musa and Secretary of the State Secretary of the organization Malam Ahmed Tijjani all spoke at length as well extolled the virtue of establishing of the nutrition Departments or Units in the MDAs.
In their Responses the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries and Directors on behalf of their Ministries Alhaji Salisu Dan’azumi Tahir from Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources said he appreciated what they brought adding that his ministry will seek approval from the office of the Head of Service for the establishment of the department saying that they already have a unit that takes care of production of fruits and Irish potatoes, while from Women Affairs Hajiya Hadiza Rabi Shitu Director Child Development said they encourage home and school gardening supported the idea.
Earlier in her welcome address the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Health Hajiya Amina Musa assured the delegations that her Ministry is looking forward to establish the department adding that they had already have a Unit of Nutrition.
In His Assertion Director Monitoring and Evaluation Kano State Agriculture Development Authority ( KANARDA) Malam Aminu Ibrahim said they have trained 5,628 Women on how to Produce Soya Beans and Groundnut and how to sale the Products within and outside the country.
At the State Emergengy Management Agency, the delegation were received by the Executive Secretary of the Agency Alhaji Isyaku Abduallahi, while at Ministry of Water Resources the Director Research, Planning and Statistics Abdullahi Abubakar Isah received the delegation all promised to facilitate the establishment of the department.
Similarly the delegation visited Ministry of Education and we’re briefed by Malam Naziru Surajo a Deputy Director Schools under the Ministry and informed the delegation that, they need to see the structure and strategy before they adopt the idea of establishing the department stressing that the Ministry have already established a Unit that is taking care with issue of Nutrition.
Similarly the delegation visited Ministry of Education and we’re briefed by Malam Naziru Surajo a Deputy Director Schools under the Ministry and informed the delegation that, they need to see the structure and strategy before they adopt the idea of establishing the department stressing that the Ministry have already established a Unit that is taking care with issue of Nutrition.
Author: Maikudi Muhammad Marafa
