Yobe Governor Establishes State Council on Malnutrition
From Sani Gazas Chinade, Damaturu
Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has established a State Council on Nutrition, vowing to tackle what federal authorities have described as Nigeria’s “quietest killer.”
The creation of the council follows a high-level advocacy visit to Damaturu on Wednesday by a federal delegation led by Mrs. Uju Rochas-Anwuka, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the Public Health Sector.
The delegation was in the state to launch the “Nutrition 774 Initiative,” a key component of the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, championed by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
During the visit, Mrs. Rochas-Anwuka gave a sobering assessment, describing malnutrition as the quietest killer in Nigeria, noting that it “kills more dreams than conflict ever will.”
She underscored the severity of the issue by citing national data, revealing that one in three children under the age of five suffers from stunted growth, while nearly half of all deaths in this age group are linked to malnutrition.
In his response, Governor Buni pledged Yobe State’s full commitment to the federal partnership.
“Our administration has already launched massive agricultural programmes to boost food security and nutrition, and the state’s ongoing efforts are geared towards weaving nutritional support into its core programmes for health, education, and social protection at large.
I want to assure you that the Yobe State Government will continue to play its part by aligning our State Nutrition Action Plan with the national framework, ensuring that every local government has the tools and support required to implement community-led nutrition initiatives.
It is imperative to note that the fight against malnutrition should not be a government effort alone. It requires a holistic approach involving our traditional and religious leaders, civil society organizations, the private sector, and local communities. We must all take ownership of this initiative and work together to ensure that no child in Yobe State suffers the lifelong consequences of malnutrition.
Our collective goal is to build a generation that is healthy, strong, and productive, capable of contributing meaningfully to our state and nation’s future.
I wish to reaffirm our full commitment to the successful implementation of the Nutrition 774 Initiative and to build a future where every Yobe child can grow, learn, and thrive.”
