THE Jigawa State government has appropriated the sum of N1bn in the 2019 budget for the effective implementation of food and nutrition, other social intervention programmes in the state.
The State deputy governor, Barrister Ibrahim Hassan disclosed this at the formal launching of the state social protection and state food and nutrition by the Jigawa state government, said the sum of N700m was for the cash transfer program for extremely poor and vulnerable households which will initially target an average of forty households per ward.
Ibrahim Hassan who is also a senator-elect explained that N300m was appropriated under the primary healthcare development agency for various nutrition intervention including counterpart funding for the procurement of Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food and other nutrition activities which include the implementation of new home-grown Community-based Masaki Nutrition Program.
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He stated that the launching of the two policy developments is a milestone in the quest to be strategic and focused as to sustainably improved the human development index in the state particularly as it affects the survival, protection and development of women and children.
His words: “We appreciate the support of various development partners, Save the Children’s and Action Against Hunger, UNICEF and DFID and we are committed to continually working with them to achieve the designed objectives.”
In his goodwill message, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Nigeria Bauchi D Field office, Mr Bhanu Pathak said about half of child mortality in Nigeria is attributed to malnutrition, saying that is why UNICEF identified nutrition as one of the priority interventions in Nigeria and thus the support for developing an institutional framework to address the menace.
Represented by the Nutrition Specialists, Philomena Irene reiterated the commitment of UNICEF to continue partner with the Jigawa State government to improve the lives of children and women in the state, assured of a collaborative effort to improve the accountability for nutrition financing and development of the capacity of the workforce.
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