***As report captures 33.3 percent of under 5 children exhibiting stunted growth

The Federal Government of Nigeria has successfully launched the 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey (NFCMS) report which has been adjudged to be one of its kind globally.
The last National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey (NFCMS) was undertaken about 20 years ago in 2001, the findings of that study likely no longer represent the current micronutrient status or dietary consumption patterns of the Nigerian population.
This lack of recent and reliable information presented several challenges, both in terms of reviewing ongoing programmes and in informing the development of new guidance and policies. Updated information on the population’s micronutrient status and dietary intakes is required for informed, evidenced-based decisions about current and future food, nutrition, and agriculture programming and policy making in Nigeria.
Hence the 2021 survey which has been global acclaimed has become a reference point.

Director and Head of Nutrition Department of Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Mrs. Ladidi K. Bako-Aiyegbus presented the report at the technical session and thr launch held in Abuja

She said before the date for the launch was fixed they had started receiving calls from neighboring African countries to share the experience with them which led to the interface with colleagues in Indonosia.
She said, one thing that came out clearly was that the three ministries of Budget and Plannning, Agriculture and food security and the Ministry of Health had to be on the driver’s seat for the survey while the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) provided the skills and capacity.
Some of their findings according to her were subjected to further verification in foreign lands results of which came out the same.
“For the first time in history, Nigeria conducted this survey with computer assisted personal interviewing which makes the data more acceptable
“The 2021 survey is unique in several respects as it was conducted using computer assisted Personal interviewing (CAP), survey instruments, and design can serve as a model for food consumption surveys in other African Countries.

“Nigeria is the first country to use the innovative tool INDDEX24 mobile application to collect data to assess dietary intake in a large scale survey
“Some of the dietary data include use of fortified foods to assess the impact of large scale fortification programmes and the consumption of biofortified crops used to measure the impact of these programs
“The report of the 2021 NFCMS provides information for evidence based policy and programmatic decisions for national supplementation, fortification, sensitization of appropriate nutrients consumption and other key nutrition interventions to achieve food and nutrition security in Nigeria.

“It provides subnational insights on micronutrient issues which enables more nuanced programming which addresses the unique characteristics of different sub groups of the population.

The Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Nebeolisa Anako revealed that 33.3 percent of under five children are stunted in growth going by National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey, 2021.

Anako spoke while delivering his opening remarks on Monday at the technical session and launch of the 2021 national food consumption and micronutrient survey report held in Abuja.
He said the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight among children under 5 are 33.3%, 11.6% and 25.3% respectively.

His words, “According to the National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey, 2021, the prevalence of stunting, wasting and underweight among children under 5 are 33.3%, 11.6% and 25.3% respectively.

“However, malnutrition is influenced by a host of underlying factors related to poverty, including poor diet, food insecurity, poor water, sanitation and health services, which find their roots in factors that can vary from conflict to climate change; from scarce natural resources to high and volatile food prices; from poor governance to demographic growth. This is a huge burden and calls for very deliberate efforts to address” he said.

Continuing, Anako said Nutrition data plays a crucial role in program planning across various sectors, including health, education, agriculture, water, information and social welfare among others.

“Let us remain mindful of the profound impact that nutrition has on every aspect of human life, from physical health to cognitive development, from economic productivity to societal well-being” he noted.

He said the choices we make regarding what we eat directly impact our physical and mental vitality, shaping not only our individual lives but also the collective health of our society.

Also speaking, Director and Head of Social Development, Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Sanjo Faniran said the findings of the survey will serve as a vital tool for policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders in the field of food and nutrition and provide valuable insights into the current state of our nation’s food consumption, enabling us to design targeted interventions and evidence-based strategies for improving nutritional outcomes.

***Blames foreign Affairs Ministry, NIA for not guiding the govs on their folly

A former Governor of Jiagawa State and one of the founding leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Sule Lamido has lashed out at Northern Governors for embarking on a jamboree to a foreign land just to discuss how to find lasting solution to the security issues bedevilling the region.
Lamido who wrote on his verified Facebook wall titled it, ‘Advancing our shame and embarrassment beyond our frontiers’ said there was no need for the wasteful adventure considering the hardship the average Nigeria is passing through as the resources to embark on the trip would have been useful in tackling other challenges facing the North
According to him if their trip was on how to boost agriculture or to improve on the healthcare needs of the citizens or better still on other local problems on the concurrent lists they would have been commended

“Our Northern Governors as concerned leaders traveled all the way to the United States of America to attend a lecture at the American Institute for Peace titled ‘Advancing Stability in Northern Nigeria’ as to find a lasting solution to the intractable problems of insecurity bedeveling their respective states.
“Their concern commendable as it were, ended up exposing their ignorance at understanding of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria the very instrument which gave them the legitimacy and the authority to be Governors!
“If the Governors had traveled to the US to engage on how to boost agriculture or health issues or any other pressing local problems listed on the Concurrent List of our Constitution this could be quite understandable! But to engage on issues which are on the Exclusive Legislative List such as Security says a lot of the substance they are made of.
“Security is a very wide subject which their Excellencies must have capacity to grasp. Most urban towns in their State lack portable drinking water, refuse dumps have taken over some streets; all these have precipitous Security health hazards.
“Our children attend primary schools under the trees and where there are built classes, they take their lessons sitting on the floor, yet the Security implications of this can not be discerned by their Excellencies.
“Deliberate and harshly induced poverty by unplanned government policies have made citizens lose their esteem, honor and self worth by lining up scrambling to collect palliative from patronizing and condescending leaders yet the Insecurity of this is of no worry or concern to them.
“You have Governors with no human empathy or respect for dignity or decency in an open show of shame throwing money like confetti from an open Jeep and people scrambling to pick it like the Governor of Niger State. Yet they fail to see the security implications of all these!
According to him, if the Governors were serious and wanted to have a lecture on security, they needed not have embarked on such a wasteful journey with the accompanying expenditure of flight tickets, hotels with all their aides and above all the valuable time wasted at the expense of running their States.
“Certainly they could have gotten more than they wanted from our resourceful institutions such as NIPSS in Kuru Jos or ASCON in Badagry or even NIA!
“These three Institutions have more than enough materials, essays and templates on the problems on Security in Nigeria more than the far fetched American Institute.
Lamido who was a former foreign Affairs minister blamed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NIA for failing to properly guide the Governors on their folly as the Governors could not have traveled without the facilitation of the Ministry or our Embassy in Washington.

“Nigeria and Nigerians now carry the image of “advancing our shame and embarrassment beyond our frontiers” caused by their Excellencies!

“One is inclined to believe Rufai Oseni of Arise TV when he recently said ‘ Nigerian madness has no bound or limits’ So in Nigeria today, ones biggest challenge is how one remains sane in this insane Country!”
He said Nigeria was a sane abd safe country before apc took over and destroyed it

***warns the anti-graft agency against making case to be perceived as witch-hunt

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central senatorial district has lauded Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over efforts to apprehend and prosecute the immediate past governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, over an alleged N80.2 billion fraud.

She also commended the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for ceding 14 properties that were initially forfeited to the Federal Government and people of Enugu.
To avoid the impression that their actions against Bello are merely a witch hunt, the Senator advised the EFCC to also investigate other corrupt public officials
According to her, she was surprise that Bello failed to attend to the EFCC’s invitation.

In a now-viral video, EFCC Chairman had claimed the former Kogi governor told him that a female senator (name withheld) allegedly gathered journalists to humiliate him anytime he was at the agency’s Abuja office for interrogation.

“I called Yahaya Bello, as a serving governor, to come to my office to clear himself. I shouldn’t have done that. But he said because a certain senator had planted over 100 journalists in my office, he would not come.

“I told him that he would be allowed to use my private gate to give him a cover, but he said my men should come to his village to interrogate him,” Olukoyede was quoted as saying.

Reacting, Natasha put it to Bello why it is importance for him to respect Nigeria’s laws and constitution, flowing from his former position as the chief security officer of Kogi.

“I was surprised to hear that Yahaya Bello evaded the invitation from the EFCC, despite having served as Kogi’s former chief security officer. As a former governor, he should understand the importance of respecting Nigeria’s laws and constitution.

“It’s a well-known fact that “he who comes into equity must come with clean hands”. As such, I advise him to honour the invitation and clear his name while he still has the chance.

“I’d also like to take this moment to appreciate the diligence of the EFCC in handling the case so far. No Nigerian is above the law, and therefore the agency must see this case through to the end if they are to gain the trust of both Nigerians and the international community in the fight against corruption,” she said.