The United Nations Children's Fund has delivered a fresh consignment of nutrition commodities to Enugu State under the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), reinforcing efforts by the state government to combat child malnutrition.

Representing Governor Peter Mbah at the formal handover ceremony, the Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, described the intervention as both timely and impactful.   

He, however, stressed the importance of adopting sustainable, long-term solutions to address nutrition challenges across the state.

Ossai noted that the government had already taken proactive steps, including the approval of nutrition desk officers across the 17 Local Government Areas (LGAs). He charged them to rise to the demands of their roles to ensure that investments in the sector yield meaningful and measurable results.

“It is important that those saddled with these responsibilities deliver effectively. Otherwise, all our efforts and investments will come to nothing,” he said, urging that key recommendations from traditional rulers and other stakeholders be effectively implemented at the grassroots level.

The Deputy Governor expressed deep appreciation to UNICEF for its continued support, particularly in improving child nutrition outcomes. While acknowledging the immediate benefits of the nutrition supplements, he emphasized the need to address the root causes of malnutrition.

“What we have done with the supplements will solve the immediate problems, but they do not deal with the remote causes of these nutrition problems,” he stated.

He further highlighted the need to close structural and administrative gaps, noting concerns over persistent malnutrition figures despite perceived economic growth in the state.    

According to him, a more holistic and data-driven approach is required to bridge this disconnect.

Ossai also disclosed that the state government is implementing integrated strategies, including its school feeding initiative, aimed at ensuring that every child has access to at least one nutritious meal daily. He explained that the programme is designed not only to support school-age children but also to ease financial pressure on families, enabling them to better cater to younger children within the critical first 1,000 days of life.

“We will continue to develop and strengthen these strategies in collaboration with our partners to ensure sustainable impact,” he added.

Reiterating the administration’s priorities, the Deputy Governor assured that the government remains committed to advancing child health and education, noting that both sectors are central to the development agenda of the Mbah administration.

He commended frontline health workers, local government chairmen, and development partners for their contributions, calling for sustained collaboration to improve the wellbeing of children across the state.

The Child Nutrition Fund initiative is part of broader efforts by UNICEF to support governments in addressing malnutrition and improving child survival and development outcomes in Nigeria.