By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba, has called for a multi-sectoral approach towards addressing the scourge of malnutrition in the country.
Prince Agba made the call at the National Council on Nutrition (NCN sub –committee meeting held on Thursday at the Conference room of the Ministry.
He said that the burden of malnutrition has 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 him “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”.
The Minister disclosed that the World Health Organisation (WHO)listed over 43.6 per cent children under five years suffer from chronic malnutrition and they either die or not develop to their full potential”.
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.
