By Hussaini Yero
The Zamfara State Government has intensified efforts to combat malnutrition as state and local government officials met in Gusau to strengthen food and nutrition programmes targeting vulnerable communities.
The quarterly meeting, organised by the Zamfara State Ministry of Budget and Planning, brought together stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving access to nutritious food, particularly for pregnant women and young children.
Coordinator of the programme, Safiya Ibrahim, said the initiative was aimed at ensuring sustainable nutritional support across communities in the state.
She explained that the committee was working closely with state and local governments to address the growing challenge of malnutrition among children and other vulnerable groups.
According to her, the media was also being engaged to enlighten residents on the importance of consuming nutritious food for healthier living.
Speaking at the event, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Bashir Mai Lafiya Mada, said the Zamfara State Government had continued to support nutrition programmes following the Federal Government’s nutrition initiative across the 774 local government areas.
Also speaking, the Director of Food and Nutrition at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Abdurrazak Bashir, disclosed that the ministry had been distributing nutritious food to pregnant women and young children for up to six months.
He added that security personnel had been deployed to safeguard food supplies delivered to hospitals and prevent theft.
However, Bashir expressed concern over the failure of local government chairmen to fulfill their expected monthly financial contributions to the nutrition programme.
“For one year now, they have not contributed a single kobo,” he lamented.
Representing the Commissioner for Local Government, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Sanusi Yakubu, assured stakeholders that the ministry remained committed to supporting efforts aimed at reducing malnutrition across Zamfara State.
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