By; ALEX UANGBAOJE, Kaduna
Kaduna State Governor has approved the release of sum of $1m counterpart fund as part of the government’s commitment in the procurement of Multiple Micro-nutrients Supplement (MMS), New Nigerian Newspapers can authoritatively report.
MMS, according to expert is an approach to improve the quality of nutrition care for mothers and preventing low birth weight. It is a transition from Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (IFAS), expected to avert 3.6 million deaths in Nigeria, prevent the deaths of an additional 52,475 children and yield benefits that are 1,054 times greater than the costs.
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), had sent letters to the State Governors of all the 36 plus the FCT, informing them of the Child Nutrition Fund opportunity that will enable them pay a counterpart fund into a basket meant for the purchase of MMS, and UNICEF will compliment by providing the lion share for the procurement.
4 states of Jigawa, Katsina, Adamawa and Gombe had responded with delays by releasing the of N250m, N200m, N100m, and N50m respectively.
On March 2, 2024, nutrition stakeholders made up of Journalists, UNICEF, Civil Society-scaling Up Nutrition (CS-SUNN), and members of Civil Society Organisations, rose from a meeting in Abuja, where they tasked State governments in Nigeria to respond to opportunity provided by UNICEF.
A chat with the Director, Development Aid Coordination, Kaduna State Planing and Budget Commission, Aisha Muhammed, on the sideline of a Media dialogue to commemorate the 10th Year Anniversary celebration of the Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), revealed that the state government has approved a $1m counterpart fund for MMS procurement.
“The State government’s commitment to MMS has been cash backed, the only thing remaining now is for us to sign the MoU.
“It was a commitment we made and the Governor has approved the release of $1m, the money is on ground and we are just waiting for the MoU.” She said.
Confirming the development, Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, Chinwe Ezeife, disclosed that though the money has not been transferred to UNICEF, but she’s aware that the approval has been given by the Governor.
She noted because of the conditions of the draft MoU by UNICEF, the State Ministry of Justice is yet to conclude their study of the document.
“We are just waiting for them to conclude and the signing ceremony will happen and they will now transfer the fund.” The Nutrition Specialist said.
