Nutrition Fund/EBF: CS-SUNN Takes Advocacy to Adamawa Planning Commission

A Civil Society – Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) on Wednesday, paid an advocacy visit on the Executive Chairman Adamawa State Commission on the need for the state to adopt child nutrition funds as well as extend paid maternity leave from 3 to 6 months for mothers.

The effort of CS-SUNN, which is being funded by UNICEF, is to ensure the extension of paid maternity leave to afford mothers time and resources needed for healthy development of children as well as nutrition funds to tackle severe malnutrition among children.

The delegation was warmly received by the Executive Chairman Adamawa Planning Commission, Dr. Mary Paninga and the Permanent Secretary of the commission, Tanimu Buba, in her office at the State Secretariat Complex in Yola, Adamawa State.

Briefing the Chairman on the purpose of the visit, the State Coordinator of CS-SUNN, Ngozika Ibhadode, said that the mandate and the vision of their alliance is to see a country where every citizen has food and is nutrition secured. 

Ngozika, explained that the CS-SUNN is  concerned about the future generation and how actions and inactions of the stakeholders and other citizens will impact on the nutrition status of children.

"We have looked at the nutrition assessment as provided by the National Demographic Health Survey and other instruments of measuring nutrition in the country and found out that in the area of exclusive breastfeeding, Nigeria is not doing well.

"Thankfully, the country had approved 6 months maternity leave for all women to support them to bond with their children, breastfeed exclusively and to recover from issues around child birth".

"The enforcement across the country is our major concern. We have been going round states on advocacy to ensure that governments make commitment. We are in Adamawa State to get commitment on what can be done to take us a step further from where we are to where we supposed to be. Ngozika stated.

She further explained that their mission is to ensure Six (6) months paid maternity leave is adopted by the Adamawa State Government and practice in the state, and sought for the support of the commission in the interest of the future generation.

She hammered that they want to see how Adamawa State can put it into practice, enforce it across all sectors and how it can provide safe spaces for breastfeeding at work places. 

According to her, breast milk contains all the nutrients that every child needs to develop and to grow, saying that they have a bench mark of 50 percent exclusive breastfeeding rate to achieve by 2025.

The Coordinator disclosed that currently Nigeria is at 29 percent in the area of breastfeeding, and that the country has been on that percentage since 2018, lamenting that the percentage portrays the country in bad light.

Also speaking, the Programme Officer CS-SUNN, Ambrose Evhoesor, commended the state government for its commitment, saying that they had observed there was drastic increase in nutrition in 2024 budget compared to the past years.

Ambrose, said that it means the state government is also concerned and ready to come in and see how the issue can be addressed, and applauded Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and his administration for the commitment towards achieving it.

He said that Adamawa requires emergency attention and one of the ways they can address indices before them is to ensure that 6 months paid maternity leave is passed in the state.

He said that if the is state is able to pass the 6 months paid maternity leave and is able to meet expectations, founders will see areas where they can come in and support the state.

The Programme Officer added that they came to seek for her support and for Adamawa State to key in because according to him couple of states have keyed into it, urging her to help in ensuring that women get 6 months paid maternity leave.

Responding, the Executive Chairman Adamawa Planning Commission, Dr. Mary Paninga, appreciated the delegation for the visit and assured them of the commission's support. 

Dr. Paninga, informed them that Adamawa State has policy on food and nutrition, saying that they next thing they loved to do is the implementation of the policy.

According to her, it is not only about implementation but to get the policy legally stamped by the State House of Assembly, saying that when it becomes a legal document it will be better as will make provision for 6 months paid maternity leave, provide safe spaces for breastfeeding and other relevant issues.

She pointed out that to get the document passed by the House of Assembly is key and needs sensitisation and consultation, advocacy to communities.

Baring his mind, the Permanent Secretary of the Commission who is also the Chairman Food and Nutrition, Tanimu Buba, pledged to cooperate with CS-SUNN and other relevant organisations to achieve the set objectives.

Tanimu, told the delegation that they know where they can key in in order to get good result and applauded the advocacy visit.

On his part, the Adamawa State Coordinator of CS-SUNN, Ibrahim Bello, appreciated the Executive Chairman and the Permanent Secretary for wonderful reception accorded to the delegation, and described the commission strategic, hence the visit.