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Nasarawa state acting Head of Civil Service, Abigail Waya
By Oboh Linus, Lafia
Nasarawa State Government says it committed to establishing nutrition department in the line ministries to enhance coordination and evaluation of nutrition programmes and projects in the state.
Ms Abigail Waya, Nasarawa state acting Head of Civil Service stated this during a breakfast advocacy meeting on creation of department in line ministries and agencies on Tuesday in Lafia.
According to her, the state government is fully committed to this project, and will do everything possible to set up departments as requested.
Waya said her office would work in collaboration with the Civil Service Commission towards realisation of the project as well as in ensuring right people are being placed in the departments for effective service delivery.
“On creation of budget line and increase allocation, let’s have the departments first all other things will fall into place, they are now going to chat a course for proper understanding of what needs to be done regarding allocation,” she said.
On issue of six months maternity leave, the acting head of civil service promised that once national council on establishment increases the numbers of months, the state would implement it immediately.
Speaking earlier, Dr Goodness – Chidi Anyanwu, SC- SUNN Programme Manager, said they were in the state to advocate for the creation of nutrition department and to seek approval of six months maternity leave for women.
She said CS-SUNN also sought for creation of budget line for nutrition activities in the National Multisectoral Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition, increase allocation, timely releases and effective utilisation of fund for nutrition.
The Programme Manager, said statistics shown no improvement because of lack of specific dedicated funding for nutrition, inability to track nutrition funding
She listed other impediments to include less prioritisation to nutrition issue, lack of nutrition department to ensure more visibility for nutrition, budget tracking and low staffing for nutrition.
“Repositioning nutrition is central to development, the impact of nutritional challenges is a factor that cuts across all aspect of life and existence and could affect good health and good life.
“For these reasons, the Federal Government through the National Committtee on Nutrition (NCN) has approved the creation of nutrition department in line MDAs at the National and State Levels on May 11th, 2022, ” she said.
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.
Many permanent Secretaries in the line ministries and agencies of government were in attendance, and pledged their commitments to the CS-SUNN project in the state.
