Osinbajo: Specific Nutrition Estimates Likely in 2023 Budget

*Says nutrition departments now in most ministries

Deji Elumoye in Abuja 

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has stressed that efforts by the Federal Government to tackle malnutrition and its attendant challenges are beginning to take shape as nutrition specific budget estimates are likely to be included in the 2023 Appropriation Bill.

The Vice President, who spoke Thursday at a virtual meeting of the National Council on Nutrition disclosed that “we are at a point where we can move the needle especially with the creation of nutrition departments in line ministries and ensuring that we get nutrition on the budget line and it is actually done properly.”

The Council with the approval of the President has now ensured that nutrition departments now exist in several Ministries, Departments and Agencies, including Ministries of Health, Agriculture, Humanitarian Affairs, Women Affairs, Information and Culture, Industry, Trade and Investment, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), among others.

During the meeting, presentations by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and Nigerian Governors Forum were made on the implementation of the National Multi-Sectoral Plan of Action on Nutrition particularly on the funding of nutrition activities in the country.

 According to Osinbajo: “We intend to follow up on all of these especially in the coming days, working with the relevant Ministers and the Governors Forum. And an important point that was made in the presentation earlier was that we need to do a chart of account. It is really important”.

 The meeting chaired by the Vice President had in attendance Ministers of Science and Technology, Sen. Adeleke Mamora; Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq; the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Mrs Olusola Idowu; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr Aliyu Ahmed, and the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, among others.

 Council members at the meeting included His Royal Highness and Board of Trustees Chairman, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and also CEO of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Ms Zouera Youssoufou; representatives of civil society and development partners, among others.