By Murtala Muhamma
The Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has engaged members of the Tafawa Balewa Local Government Committee on Food and Nutrition (LGCFN), advocating the inclusion of dedicated funding for nutrition interventions in the council’s annual budget.
The committee which has deputy chairman of the LGA as Chairman, comprises representatives from the departments of Budget and Planning, Primary Healthcare, Agriculture, Education, and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), among others.
The engagement is part of CS-SUNN’s ongoing advocacy visits to Alkaleri, Bauchi, Dass, Ganjuwa and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas, led by officials from the organisation’s National Secretariat and its Bauchi State chapter.
The Bauchi State Coordinator of CS-SUNN, Ms Dabis Mwalike, called for the creation of dedicated budget line for nutrition programmes, timely release of approved funds and proper utilisation of allocated resources.
Ms Mwalike explained that the organisation is implementing the Partnership for Improving Nigeria Nutrition Systems (PINNS 3.0) project, which seeks to strengthen states’ nutrition governance and improve nutrition systems.
She also called on the committee to ensure quarterly coordination meeting towards ensuring sustainability in the implementation of nutrition programmes.
Responding, the Director of Budget, Tafawa Balewa Local Government Council, Kamal Umar Bununu, commended CS-SUNN for the advocacy visit, describing it as timely in view of the prevalence of malnutrition in the area.
He assured to extend the same advocacy messages to the council’s Chairman and called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to tackle the challenge.
