By DANJUMA JOSEPH, Lafia –
The Nasarawa State Government says it is committed to establishing nutrition unit and department across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in the state.
Acting Head of Civil Service (HoS), Barrister Abigail Waya, disclosed this on Tuesday, while responding to issues raised during a breakfast meeting on creation of nutrition in MDAs, held at Luxury Hotel, Lafia, the state capital.
The breakfast meeting was organised by Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), in collaboration with Nasarawa State Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning, Lafia.
She said the state government will liaise with civil service commission to ensure those with the required background and knowledge are employed to head the units and departments if established.
Barrister Waya, who described nutrition as an important component for the haves and haves not, said it is not only about eating food, but eating the right one.
On the issue of extending the maternity leave period from three to six months for working class nursing mothers, the HoS, said if the Council of Establishment, implement it at the national level, the state would not hesitate to do same.
Earlier in a welcome address, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance in the state, Mr Emmanuel Alidzi, who double as the chairman of State Committee on Food and Nutrition, said the state government through the ministry is partnering CS-SUNN, to raise awareness on nutritional values.
On her part,1 the program manager of CS-SUNN, Dr Goodness Chidi Nwanyanwu, said the meeting was aimed at achieving two things namely the establishment of nutrition department in MDAs in the state and extension of 3 months maternity leave for working class nursing mothers to 6 months.
She said the Federal Government through the National Committee on Food and Nutrition, has approved the Creation of Nutrition Department in Line MDAs at the National and State Levels on May 11th, 2022.
The line Ministries are Ministry of Finance, Budget and Planning, Ministry of Health, Agriculture, Science and Tech, Information and Culture, Education, Women Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Water Resources and Environment.
According to her, Mandates/Functions of the Department is that it is responsible for policy, planning/programming, advocacy and monitoring and evaluation of activities in the ministry.
Specifically, she said the department is expected to provide leadership for programmes relevant to the ministry in the National Policy on Food and Nutrition and National Multisectoral Plan of Action on Food and Nutrition (NMPFAN).
In attendance at the breakfast meeting were permanent secretary from all line ministries, who positive contribution which indicates they are in tune with the initiative.
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