Gombe State Government on Tuesday officially launched the State food and nutrition policy and multisectoral plan of action for 2023-2027.
While launching the policy on Tuesday at the Gombe International Hotel, the Deputy Governor, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau charged Policy formulators in the country to ensure that measures are adequate framework are put in place for effective and efficient implementation of policies aimed at development of the various sectors.
The Deputy Governor said that, “We must all put hands on deck to avoid a situation where set dates and targets by concerned authorities are not met, for example, Health for all by Year 2000, Shelter for All by Year 2000.”
He said that, “My contribution to attaining this Policy is that, we must encourage an improvement in the production of protein and vitamin sources from our local, indigenous farm produce, such as sorghum, groundnuts, soya beans, etc.”
According to him, “Careful followers of the trends of events and happenings in our state would have realized that the giant infrastructural strides are being pursue alongside human capital projects that are meant for the welfare of the residents in Gombe State.”
He also said that,”Basically, the investments in health by the provision of 114 Primary Health Care Centres in all the political wards in the state; GoHealth, education; civil service reforms, and such others are the testimony to His Excellency, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s care and concern about the social aspects of the residents. As time will not permit me at this occasion to pinpoint all the projects this administration executed in the last four (4) years, I wish to refer my audience to the First Term Scorecard 2019-2023.”
“Lovers of Gombe, today’s launching of the Gombe State Food and Nutrition Policy and Multisectoral Plan of Action 2023-2027 which came up after a very careful scrutiny and discussion and subsequent approval by the State EXCO is yet another determination to ensure that Gombe key into the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and also the national policy of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security of the present administration, of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he added.
Manassah Jatau added that,”Basically, this launching of the Policy and Action Plan is a clear realization by government that whatever that is to stand the test of time must be on a very solid foundation.”
He said that, “Accordingly, nutrition which is defined as “the process of eating the right kind of food so you can grow properly and be healthy” Jatau (2021:160) is very crucial and important in the life span of human beings.”
The Deputy Governor also pointed out that,”In essence, its launching today is really apt, germane, necessary and inevitable, to arrest the present situation where malnutrition and its unpleasant consequences have been documented by numerous concerned individuals like His Royal Highness the former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, world bodies like UNICEF, United Nations, World Health Organizations, African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and some national governments that are continually developing programmes and policies in order to stem the tide.”
He also stressed that,”By the launching today, a challenge is thrown to these numerous sectors; health, education, social protection, economic growth, water and sanitation, food system and nutrition to come together and give
importance to each of these sectors in line with the System Theory of Society adhering to the Policy as a guide to ensure the attainment of the aims and objectives of the policy.”
He stated that the state Government is working with development partners such as UNICEF, ANRIN, Taimako Project, Mercy Corps, WHO, MNCH Coalition, HarvestPlus and CS-SUNN to eradicate malnutrition in the state.
Much as the state has done the underlisted: Promptly releases counterpart funding for the procurement of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition, Produced a complementary feed for the management of moderately malnourished children across the 11 LGAs, Established Community Based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) in 6 LGAs of the state, Facility Infant and Young Child Feeding (F-IYCF) that are ongoing in the 11 LGAs and Accelerating Nutrition Results in Nigeria (ANRIN) in 7 LGAs and introduced GOHEALTH.
He however said that, “Despite all these, it is not yet “uhuru” since experience, reports and statistical data confirm that we are yet to be free from the undesirable phenomena and its adverse effects on the population’s health.”
In the face of the above, the implementation of the Food and Nutrition Policy and Multisectoral Plan of Action is a task that must be carried out effectively for the optimal nutritional status of residents of Gombe State, within the time frame of 2023-2027, noting very well that one 2023 is gone already.
“At this juncture, let me most sincerely thank all the organizations highlighted elsewhere for their continuous programmes, support, assistance, partnering to ensure reduction of malnutrition to the bearest minimum, since eliminating now may be a tall order for various factors,” he added.
The Deputy Governor added that,”Be assured that Gombe State has the greatest political will to implement this policy and many others that will impact positively on the welfare and standard of living of the residents of the state. Unlike previous experiences where projects, programmes and policies are not monitored to assess implementation level, this administration has been different.”
He specifically thanked UNICEF, HarvestPlus and the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning for the successful launch of the policy, urging actors and all stakeholders to, “dip your bucket, where you are” to ensure the successful implementation of the policy as well.
