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By Abdulwaheed Olayinka Adubi,
Committee on Food and Nutrition has disclosed that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) lack specific database that showcase all nutrition activities.
This was made known in a communique issued at the end of a two day domestication of the NCFN terms of referenced and capacity of MDAs nutrition desk officers on memo writing at the weekend.
The meeting which was jointly organised by the
Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in collaboration with Civil Society – Scaling up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) had members of State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN), the Academia, CS-SUNN staff and officers from the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in attendance.
In the communique made available to our Money Central and signed by the Secretary, Lagos State Committee on Food and Nutrition and State Nutrition Officer, Lagos State, Olubunmi Braheem, resolved that the recommendation of lower level officers as members of SCFN by MDAs may hinder the effective implementation of the Food and nutrition policy.
The communique also disclosed that the malnutrition burden in Lagos State, which is manifested in form of under nutrition, stunting and wasting.
Part of the communique further disclosed as follow, “that the Lagos State policy and Multi-sectoral plan of action for Food and Nutrition will expire in year 2023.
“That there is little improvement in collaboration among MDAs in implementing nutrition activities.
“There was paucity of knowledge on some nutrition concept among SCFN members
“There is a need to establish Local Government and Local Council Development Areas committee on Food and Nutrition in line with the Food and Nutrition Policy
“There is disparity in the format of Memo writing and that there is inadequate publicity of SCFN activities in the state”.
However, the meeting therefore recommended the need for effective implementation of the Lagos state multi-sectoral plan of action for Food and Nutrition.
Part of recommendation include that thd representatives of relevant MDAs on SCFN must not be below grade level 14 and must be in the nutrition related department or unit
“That review of the Lagos State policy and Multi-sectoral plan of action for Food and Nutrition should commence in earnest.
“That there should be improved collaboration among MDAs in implementing nutrition activities, the communique explained.
In the communique, recommendations were also made that a nutrition dash board that will showcase all nutrition activities from all MDAs should be designed.
“That there should be continuous capacity building on basic nutrition concepts among SCFN members
“Advocacy visits and sensitization should be made to Conference 57 and to the Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs on the need to establish and inaugurate the LG/LCDA Committee on Food & Nutrition.
“There is need for a statewide standard format of Memo writing.
“Quarterly newsletter of all nutrition activities in all relevant MDAs should be prepared and published by the representative of Ministry of Information and Strategy,” the communique reads.