Namadi inaugurates Jigawa council on nutrition, vows to tackle malnutrition
Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State on Friday inaugurated the State Council on Nutrition 774, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to combating malnutrition and strengthening food security across the state.
The inauguration followed a courtesy visit by Mrs. Uju Rochas-Anwuka, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health (Office of the Vice President), who was in Jigawa for the official launch of the Nutrition 774 initiative, a key component of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking during the visit, Rochas-Anwuka said the initiative was conceived by Vice President Kashim Shettima to address the growing challenge of malnutrition nationwide.
“The Nutrition 774 of the Renewed Hope Agenda was initiated by the Vice President, as a flagship response to the devastating impact of malnutrition and its consequences on our society,” she said. “Development partners have shown strong commitment to supporting this effort and working closely with states to deliver tangible results.”
In his remarks, Governor Namadi commended the Vice President for prioritising nutrition, noting that Jigawa has been a pioneer in implementing community-based solutions.
“Your visit will further strengthen our efforts on nutrition,” Namadi said. “Jigawa has been at the forefront of tackling malnutrition in this country, but we are yet to achieve what we want. Our Masaki Programme, established in 2020, has driven grassroots nutrition awareness and intervention. You cannot address nutrition from the office, you must go to the mothers, educate and support them.”
He disclosed that the Masaki Programme has reached over 1.3 million beneficiaries since inception, with ₦13.5 million allocated monthly to sustain its operations. The governor added that the scheme would be reviewed and expanded to increase its impact.
Namadi also highlighted other state-led interventions such as the Tom Brown Supplement Programme, which has trained 600 women to produce and package nutritional supplements for local distribution in partnership with NAFDAC and local governments.
According to him, the state government has earmarked N250 million annually for the procurement of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in collaboration with UNICEF, while members of the State House of Assembly contribute N300 million yearly to support community nutrition projects.
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The newly inaugurated council will be chaired by the governor, with membership drawn from key ministries, including Budget and Economic Planning, Finance, Agriculture, and Basic Education. The Permanent Secretary of Budget and Economic Planning will serve as secretary.
Governor Namadi assured that Jigawa aims to be the first state to fully implement the Nutrition 774 project.
“Our health budget now exceeds the Abuja Declaration benchmark to show how central health and nutrition are to our 12-month agenda,” he said. “Nutrition provisions are being mainstreamed across education, health, women affairs, and agriculture to ensure a multi-sectoral approach.”
