By Ogenyi Ogenyi Uyo
Akwa Ibom Assembly has called on Governor Umo Eno to as a matter of urgency convene and inaugurate the State Nutrition, Food Security Committee in compliance with the Presidential programme on Nutrition 774 Initiative.
This is even as the Global Hunger Index of 2024 showed that the country is ranked 110th out of 127 countries investigated.
Chairman of the State Assembly Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Mr Moses Essien told correspondents in Uyo on Wednesday that the Initiative is meant to address food insecurity and malnutrition in the country.
The Nutrition 774 initiative according to Essien include a Standard Operating Procedures meant to be followed by the Federal, State and Local government.
“Those procedures involves; nutrition challenges, beneficiaries, programme intervention areas,
monitoring and evaluation, implementation and coordination, governance and institutional structures, collaborating MDAs, roles and responsibilities, finance and resources mobilization.” The chairman said.
The lawmaker explained that the Committee on Nutrition and Food Security is a creation of the Federal House of Representative and all issues bothering on Nutrition and Food Security is domiciled in the office in the Vice President.
“The Vice President is also the Chairman of National Economic Council in Nigeria. The National Legislative Network on Nutrition and Food Security was naugurated on 22nd July, 2024 and the inauguration witnessed the
investiture of Rt. Hon. Speaker, House of Representative as the Grand Patron of the Network.
“The forum of chairmen of Nutrition and Food Security in the 36 State Houses of Assembly were also inaugurated and leadership of the
forum elected with Rt. Hon. Tolulope Ige who is the Majority Leader and Chairman, House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Ekiti State House of Assembly as the Chairman while I served as the PRO of the forum.
The chairmen of the 36 State Houses of Assembly in Nigeria were also mandated to meet with Local Government Chairmen and Leaders of
Legislative Council and mandate them to ensure that each legislative council in the 774 local Government councils also have committees on Nutrition and Food Security.
“So this is the genesis of the present much talked about N774 initiative of the Federal Government.” Essien explained.
He explained that the MDAs directly involved in Nutrition and Food Security in Akwa Ibom State includeef Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Information, Ministry Local Govt./Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Economic Development, Budget Office, Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Bulk Purchase Agency among others.
His Committee he said would soon interface with these MDAs for official inauguration of the
Local Government House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security.
“This is farming season and with the rain setting in, we must make adequate and effective use of the season through farming for the purpose of having food to feed our teeming population.” He concluded.
