The former Emir of Kano State, Muhammad Sanusi II, and the Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, have been appointed as members of the new National Council on Nutrition.
In a statement released on Tuesday by the State House Director of Information, Office of the Vice President, Olusola Abiola, Vice President Kashim Shettima was appointed as the Chairman of the Council.
The statement noted that other members of the council include Ministers of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy; Health, Professor Ali Pate; and Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev.
Others are the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Minister, Beta Edu; World Bank Country Director, Shubam Chauhdri; and UNICEF Country Rep, Cristiane Munduate, among others.
During the inauguration of the Council at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Shettima asked the members to prioritise innovation and research to transform the nation’s nutritional landscape.
He said: “I wish to appeal to all members to prioritise innovation and research in the field of nutrition. “We must embrace technology, leverage digital solutions, and invest in research and development to discover sustainable and scalable solutions for our nutrition challenges.
“This aligns with our pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals and Universal Health Coverage.
“We must collaborate to enhance nutrition governance, ensure the widespread availability of nutritious food, champion optimal infant and young child nutrition, and bolster nutrition education and awareness campaigns.
“While funding is undeniably crucial, we must also prioritise streamlining processes, implementing practical strategies, and fostering genuine collaboration to overcome the hurdles before us. A healthy nation isn’t just a happier one; it’s also safer.”
Shettima said the occasion is not only to emphasise that the quality of what the nation consumes is just as important as the quantity but also to renew commitment to understanding the connection between food and human security.
He added that the composition of the NCN is a testament to the priority accorded to the nutrition of every Nigerian in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda for food and nutrition security in Nigeria.
He said, “The Council being inaugurated today stands ready to foster political determination and the utilization of our resources to eradicate malnutrition.
“This is our realistic pathway towards attaining the objectives outlined in the National Policy on Food and Nutrition.
“I am, therefore, confident that the diverse assembly of stakeholders within this council will facilitate comprehensive multi-stakeholder engagement, encompassing various sectors such as health, agriculture, social protection, and more, as well as spanning across different levels of government.”
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