Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has urged stakeholders of the Federal Government’s Nutrition 774 Initiative to develop sustainable and holistic solutions to combat the widespread malnutrition affecting millions of Nigerians.
Speaking in Umuahia on Wednesday while declaring open a two-day workshop themed “Strengthening Capacity to Drive Action for Nutrition Delivery”, Governor Otti emphasized that addressing malnutrition requires a comprehensive approach that takes into account Nigeria’s broader socio-economic challenges.
“The N-774 Initiative can only succeed by taking a holistic view of the problems we face on the economic and social fronts. There is a direct link between malnutrition and poverty, unemployment, insecurity, and social instability,” the Governor said. “These realities invite us as stakeholders to think broadly and come up with enduring solutions to the ticking time bomb of hunger and poor nutrition.”
Dr. Otti advocated for agro-based interventions as a long-term strategy to reduce food prices and hunger, stressing that Nigeria is too resource-rich to be plagued by malnutrition. He pledged his administration’s full commitment to a holistic response that spans agriculture, education, health, security, and infrastructure.
“We are not treating malnutrition as an isolated issue,” he added. “As requested by the N774 implementation team, we will work closely with the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to drive this initiative to the grassroots. We shall also put in place the structures and make key appointments to ensure successful implementation across all communities in Abia.”
Commending the Federal Government’s proactive approach, Governor Otti described the Nutrition 774 Initiative as a timely intervention to protect Nigeria’s future by tackling a threat that disproportionately affects the youth.
He praised the efforts of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health and focal person for the initiative, Mrs. Uju Anwuka, for her dedication, and acknowledged the National Council on Nutrition chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima for choosing Abia as the pilot state.
In her remarks, Mrs. Anwuka said the initiative was being introduced to key stakeholders in the state to promote a coordinated response to what she termed a “national emergency.” She emphasized that malnutrition cannot be tackled from Abuja alone, calling for active involvement of traditional rulers, local government chairpersons, and other stakeholders in all 774 LGAs.
She also called for the integration of nutrition-focused policies into the agriculture, education, and health sectors and encouraged Abia to fully “own the initiative.”
Also speaking, Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Kingsley Anosike, described the council tasked with executing the initiative as a “dream team” and urged participants to engage actively to ensure its success.
The workshop drew participation from top government officials and key actors in health, agriculture, and community development sectors.
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