A team of the Committee on Food and Nutrition in Delta State has paid an advocacy/Sensitization visit to the Vice-Chairman of Uvwie Local Government authority, appealing for the approval of a budget, specifically created to avert malnutrition in the LGA.
The visit, which was held, Tuesday, at the Council Secretariat in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, highlighted the effect of poor malnutrition which includes growth retardation, impaired brain development in children, among others.
At the presentation, Mrs. Deborah Okubio, Assistant Director in the State Directorate of Local Government Affairs, Focal officers Delta State Committee on Food and Nutrition who led the team, explained that malnutrition is mostly prevalent in rural areas and its consequence induce low birth weight, prolonged labourin women and low productivity which hinders development.
She appealed to the Vice-Chairman of Uvwie Local Government Area, Hon. Andrew Agagbo, who is obligated to head the food and nutrition committee, and the Local Government Nutrition focal person, to serve as the Secretary, in collaboration with other relevant professionals in the LGA to resuscitate the committee by ensuring that it gets some percentage in the 2025 LGA budget, as she stated that “only funds can reactivate and drive the effectiveness of the committee on Food and Nutrition.”
The Executive Secretary of Uvwie Primary Health Authority, Dr. Henry Owhojedo, who was among principal Officers in the Local Government to receive the team, complained that LGA professionals were neglected during activities of committee, adding that “programmes fail when you go from top to bottom as professionals at the LGA level know the people more.”
Continuing, Dr. Ohwodejo explained that malnutrition does not only affect children, as popularly believed.
“You will agree with me that malnutrition is not only limited to children, judging from the current state of the nation, as we lack land to farm, poor or no security structure to safeguard farmers and crops, hence, the need for relevant authorities to properly organize the society, mostly at the rural level which ought to be the nation’s food basket.
In response, Hon. Agagbo, who appreciated the team for their visit, welcomed the resuscitation idea and assured them of his support, stating that indeed, children need to be well fed, as hungry children could not learn or go to school. “I implore all of us to contribute our own quota in fighting malnutrition as the government cannot do everything alone,” he explained.
The committee cuts across different professionals, including the Health sector, Agriculture, Education, information,Trade & investment, Community Development and Primary Health Care sector.
