Month: April 2024

Mr Eric Tetteh-Addison, the Director, Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), has warned the public to remove all properties cited along buffers.

He said these exercises should be embarked on by the public, between now and when the ministry decided to embark on an inspection.

The Director said the Ministry would not announce the exact day or date it would be embarking on its inspection exercise and advised the public to act accordingly.

Mr Tetteh-Addisson, who was speaking on behalf of Mr Martin Adjei-Mensah Korsah, the Minister for MLGDRD, said this at a press briefing in Accra, to commence a tour to some selected municipal assemblies within the Greater Accra Region.

He said it was the responsibility of the Assemblies to ensure that such properties were not cited at various buffer areas, but if they remained adamant and overlooked such unacceptable acts, the Ministry would deal with the various assemblies involved.

The
Director said the Ministry was not ‘happy’ with the attitudes of some of the Assemblies in mitigating the impacts of flooding during rainfalls.

‘By law, the Assemblies are to ensure that drains and gutters are desilted to help mitigate flooding, unfortunately the Ministry has observed how the Assemblies are relaxed on their responsibilities waiting for the ministry to come in before actions are taken,’ he said.

He said the Ministry was aware that with every drain constructed, there were buffers available to protect and minimise the impact of flooding, but unfortunately most people had illegally encroached these buffers, exacerbating flooding processes and its impacts.

‘The ministry is also aware that while some of these people may be illegally positioning themselves there, some of them also possess lease documents from the various assemblies, meaning the assemblies are also aware that the people are there illegally,’ he added.

Mr Tetteh-Addison charged the various Assemblies to begin with desilting exerci
ses as soon as possible, and to withdraw all illegal lease documents made available to some people who had encroached buffer areas to help address flooding issues as we approached the rainy season.

‘Last year you were here when the Minister announced the release of funds for the assemblies to undertake these activities, this year as well same has been done, with an amount of GHS 8.2 million released to the 17 beneficiary assemblies of the GARID project.

‘That is why we are going out unannounced to see if they are waiting for the Ministry to come before they start their desilting exercises or vice versa,’ he said.

The Director said sanctions would be applied to individuals from various assemblies found guilty of various illegal acts going against the objectives of tackling flooding issues in the country.

‘The sanctions are in multiple folds, depending on your level of deviance and the sanctions it attracts, but the sanctions will not just affect the assemblies at large but the individuals working in the as
semblies whose inactions are creating challenges affecting individuals in the community,’ he added.

Mr Kwadwo Yeboah, the Chief Executive Officer of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), said the responsibility of planning rested with the district assemblies, adding that the law had mandated the assemblies as planning authorities and to implement.

He said the ministries and various agencies were supposed to develop policies, guidelines and directives to ensure that the assemblies complied with the various legislation.

‘So, we are trying to create the awareness that the Assemblies are responsible for all these, and if you want to ensure that they are working, you must go there and find out to be able to help tell which of the Assemblies are not leaving up to expectations,’ he said.

He said the Ministery was being proactive to find out what the Assemblies were doing and let them know their responsibilities, saying it was always better to enrich the outlook of the capacities of the assemblies
so that they could do the right thing.

Source: Ghana News Agency

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says Africa is committed to working with international maritime forces to overcome the growing maritime security threats on the continent.

Africa’s vast coastline and maritime resources held immense potential for economic development and growth, therefore, any threats to such prospects ought to be addressed head-on.

‘These threats not only jeopardise our economic interests but also undermine the safety and wellbeing of our people,’ the President stated while addressing the opening session of the African Maritime Forces Summit and Naval Infantry Leaders Symposium – Africa (NILS-A), in Accra.

Governmental and military leaders from more than 40 countries on four continents are participating in the three-day programme.

The African Maritime Forces Summit and NILS-A are combined this year for the first time to provide a unique venue for participants to address shared concerns and expand maritime cooperation and coordination.

The agenda is to strengthen strategic-level rel
ationships to facilitate better regional cooperation when dealing with maritime threats.

Over the course of the next three days, African and international leaders will join a series of panels and focused discussions on maritime security challenges and opportunities.

Specific panels include Strategies for Cooperation and Models for Combined Operations, the Spectrum of Maritime Action: At Sea and In the Littorals, Assessing Maritime Security Interventions, and Countering and Prosecuting Illicit Maritime Activity.

President Nana Akufo-Addo expressed worry over the incidence of illegal oil bunkering, kidnapping at sea for ransom, illegal fishing, terrorism and drug trafficking, saying those were common threats across Africa’s territorial waters.

‘These transnational crimes do not only threaten national and regional security, but they also come at a great cost to the economies of both coastal and non-coastal states.

‘In the face of these challenges, it is imperative we foster greater cooperation and collabora
tion amongst African maritime forces by working together, sharing intelligence and coordinating our efforts,’ he advised.

This is critical to address effectively maritime security threats and safeguard the continent’s maritime domain.

Although the Gulf of Guinea has witnessed a steady decline in incidents of piracy and armed robbery at sea, more needs to be done to fully operationalise the maritime security architecture, says the United Nations (UN).

On the situation of piracy and armed robbery at sea in the region, the incidents have witnessed a steady decline resulting from concerted efforts by national authorities, with the support of regional and international partners, regular deployment of naval assets by international partners, and piracy convictions, according to the UN.

The UN observes that, however, piracy in the Gulf had also morphed during the past decade, noting that the decline might be attributable to a shift by criminal networks to other crimes, such as oil bunkering and theft.

President
Nana Akufo-Addo stated that the global maritime space, particularly the Gulf of Guinea Region, was a key route for international trade that connected all the major continents, from the Middle East of Asia to Europe and the Americas.

‘The current crisis in the Red Sea and the re-routing of maritime traffic around the Cape of Good Hope to the Western Hemisphere and Europe, attest to the strategic importance of the Western Coast of Africa,’ he emphasised.

The growing investments in the Region, particularly offshore oil and gas infrastructures, and the coastal trading and maritime traffic, were bound to increase, he projected.

‘With this growing wealth of strategic importance, the region has to curb both the traditional and emerging maritime security threats,’ he noted.

‘In the face of these challenges, it is imperative we foster greater cooperation and collaboration amongst African maritime forces by working together, sharing intelligence and coordinating our efforts to address effectively maritime security
threats and safeguard our maritime domain,’ the President said.

Beyond the regional efforts, there had been other external initiatives such as joint exercises with other foreign naval ships, he stressed, adding that those exercises were aimed at improving the inter-operability amongst the naval forces and evaluating operational response to maritime threats.

‘These exercises also provide appropriate platforms for heads of navies and coast guards to engage in dialogues and brainstorm on maritime security issues in the Gulf of Guinea,’ he stated.

Ms Virginia Palmer, the United States Ambassador to Ghana, was hopeful the summit and symposium would enhance the sharing of ideas in dealing with maritime threats.

She lauded Ghana for playing a significant role in addressing security issues in the sub-region.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Tema Command of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) has for the second consecutive time, won the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) Tema Metropolitan constitutional quiz challenge among the state security services.

The GNFS team, who won the maiden edition in 2023, emerged winners during a sixth round to break a tie between them and the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Eastern Naval Command, who all had 57 points after five rounds of questions on the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and local and international current affairs.

A wrong answer from the Navy team to a question on the winner of the last Ghana Premier League from Mr Stanley Quaynor, the quiz master, pushed the Fire team to the top to retain their position in the competition.

At the end of the contest, the Eastern Naval Command emerged second, followed by the Customs Division, which was declared third, and the Ghana Immigration Service, which placed fourth.

All participants received certificates of par
ticipation, while those in service received trophies, certificates, copies of the Constitution, and a bible.

Ms Gifty Agyeiwaa Badu, the Tema Metropolitan Director of the NCCE, said in an address that the constitution quiz competition, which was supported by the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), is one of the activities to mark the annual Constitution Week celebration, which is one of the flagship programmes of the Commission.

Ms Badu said the week-long celebration was used to remind Ghanaians of Ghana’s return to democratic rule, indicating that this year’s celebration, which was on the theme: ‘Together we can build Ghana: so, get involved,’ was also being used to remind the public of the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections scheduled for December 7, 2024.

She therefore encouraged all citizens aged 18 and above who have not registered to vote to participate in the limited registration exercise slated to take place from May 7 to 27, 2024, to enable them to exercise their voting rights in the e
lections.

She added that the quiz was initiated as one of the strategies to promote and encourage the study of the Constitution among citizens, adding that the security services edition is to test their knowledge of it and empower the officers and personnel to defend the Constitution against all forms of abuse and violations.

Reverend Francis Guggisberg Tetteh, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Dialogue Committee (IPDC), who chaired the competition, commended the security agencies for their hard work to protect the country in their diverse fields.

Reverend Tetteh, who is also the Chairman of the Tema District Council of Churches, said as elections approached, and tempers were high, such a competition among the security services would draw their minds to the need to ensure the security of the country and uphold the 1992 Constitution.

He appealed to the government to properly resource the NCCE to meet their mandate of educating the public on their civic rights and responsibilities and the tenets of the consti
tution.

Mr Yohane Amarh Ashitey, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, in a speech read on his behalf by Ms Cherun Kwarteng, a Deputy Director of the TMA, applauded the NCCE for promoting the study of the constitution, which is important in shaping the destiny of the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The third African Media Convention (AMC) will be held from May 15 to 17th, 2024, at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), the Local Organising Committee (LOC) has announced.

Organisers say ‘significant progress’ has been made towards the event as necessary logistics, personnel and resources have been secured.

Mr Albert Dwumfour, President of the Ghana Journalists Association, addressing the press in Accra, said the LOC, as of Tuesday, April 30, 2024, had exceeded its target for foreign and local participants.

He said over 500 media experts, scholars, journalists, press associations, as well as editors from public and private media across the continent had registered to take part in the three-day convention.

‘We have hit the 600 target for foreign participants and 400 local participants. This is an indication of high expectations,’ he stated, adding that marketing campaigns and publicity materials were ‘in their final review stages for onward distribution and circulation.’

AMC is a gathering
of media stakeholders and policymakers on the continent. An initiative of the African Editors’ Forum (TAEF). It is designed to safeguard media freedoms and the safety of journalists on the continent. The maiden edition was held in Arusha, Tanzania, in 2022.

The Accra edition, according to the LOC, would bring together media practitioners, cooperating partners across the African continent as well as representatives from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the African Union Commission.

Mr Dwumfour said that the LOC had the ‘full assurance’ of the government and President Akufo-Addo, who is due to launch the conference, which aims to ‘generate ideas and shape the future of media in Africa and around the world.’

‘The AMC offers a refreshing platform that has the potential to make a significant impact in our industry on the continental level…The hosting of the 3rd AMC in Ghana is a testament to Ghana’s record as one of Africa’s fast-growing conference destinations.

‘Ad
ditionally, it will focus attention on how to combat misinformation on the continent’s social media platforms, especially in the face of threats to democracy,’ Mr Dwumfour stated.

He said the forum was of ‘significant historical value’ because it coincided with the 75th anniversary of the GJA.

‘Arguably, the largest gathering of media stakeholders and policymakers in the continent, we at the GJA and the LOC are confident of our readiness to host this convention,’ Mr Dwumfour noted.

Commending government agencies and stakeholders, the GJA president urged media practitioners to create a buzz around the event to enable it to achieve its objectives.

The event, he said, would be telecast live on the State broadcaster, GTV, and media houses had until Friday, May 3, 2024, to confirm participation.

Ms Fatimatu Abubakar, Minister of Information designate, reiterated the government’s support, and called on corporate entities to participate in the conference, which she described as ‘a proud moment for media practic
e in Ghana.’

Mr Cecil Sunkwa-Mill, President, Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Mr. Muheeb Saeed, Programmes Manager, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), and Kenteman Nii Laryea Sowah, a representative of PRINPAG, all indicated support for the event and encouraged stakeholders to participate actively.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ghana is hosting the African Maritime Forces Summit (AFMS) and the Naval Infantry Leaders Symposium-Africa (NILS-A) to increase cooperation and synergy in dealing with maritime threats in the region.

The three-day symposium, which began in Accra on Tuesday, April 30, attracted scores of Governmental and military leaders from over forty countries.

It was on the theme, ‘Cooperation at Sea: Safeguarding African Maritime Security.’

The meeting would be characterised by a series of panels and focused discussions on maritime security challenges and opportunities.

It will also serve as a platform for developing joint approaches and models for integrated operations, such as countering and prosecuting illegal marine activities like piracy, and contraband trafficking, and assessing marine security interventions, among other things.

Madam Virginia Palmer, US Ambassador to Ghana, told media at a press conference that the event was aimed at strengthening strategic-level relationships to facilitate better regional co
operation in dealing with maritime threats.

‘Our agenda over the next few days is to enhance our naval capabilities, to foster interoperability, and to build the crisis response capacities that African maritime forces need to ensure security and stability.

‘We recognize that effective maritime security is about more than ships and equipment; it’s about the partnerships we forge,’ she said.

Madam Palmer also highlighted other maritime corporations between the United States, Ghana and other regional allies aimed at increasing the capabilities of their security forces both on and offshore.

She said the cooperations covered technical training at the Ghana Armed Forces Engineering School, maritime maintenance training at the Naval Base in Sekondi and naval infrastructure projects at the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC).

‘It also includes equipment to build the capacity of the Ghana Navy, like the 87-foot coastal security ships bolstering maritime security capacity in the Gulf of Guinea.

‘We also provided six
million dollars in additional equipment to the special boat squadron and projects at NAVTRAC, part of the 28 million dollars in US security assistance to Ghana last year’, she said

Rear Admiral Issah Adam Yakubu, Ghana’s Chief of Naval Staff, emphasized the meeting’s relevance for allied states.

He said the platform would allow for the ‘sharing of knowledge, best practices, and creating an atmosphere that would give solutions to our complex and dynamic maritime security issues around the African continent.’

Rear Adm. Yakubu praised the United States for its ongoing collaborations with the Ghana Navy, including capacity building for naval personnel, equipment transfers, and various sea exercises.

Admiral Stuart Munsch, Commander, US Naval Forces Europe-Africa (NAVEUR-NAVAF) and Commander, Allied Joint Force Command (JFC), Naples, stated that the meeting would develop policies not only for security but also for the protection of commercial zones, resulting in economic growth.

‘We are also looking at mariti
me domain awareness to understand what is going on at sea in the exclusive economic zones. As to how to intercept illegal activity and how to resolve it judicially so it comes to a halt,’ he said.

The event takes place a week before the start of NAVAF’s premier West African maritime exercise, Obangame Express 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Prince Ofosu Sefah, the Administrator of Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), has called for accelerated efforts and collaboration to advance e-waste management in Africa.

He said there were challenges in effectively managing the resultant electronic waste, emphasising the need for more effective strategic management.

Mr Sefah was speaking at the ongoing Connected Africa Summit 2024, where he represented Mr Charles Acheampong, the Deputy Minister of Communications and Digitalisation Designate.

The summit serves as a strategic forum to chart a course towards a digitally empowered and interconnected future for Africa, setting the stage for unprecedented growth and prosperity.

It aims to underscore the relevance of the digital economy in driving economic growth and development and it will provide an opportunity for African leaders, investors, and businesses to come together and harness the vast opportunities presented by the digital economy while addressing barriers and pressing i
ssues affecting our economies.

It is to promote greater collaboration and fuel investment towards the achievement of Africa’s Digital Agenda 2063 and Vision 2030.

Mr Sefah said millions of women and children labourers face risk working in the informal recycling sector worldwide, urging strategic interventions to mitigate e-waste exposure.

He said in Ghana, pursuant to the e-Waste Act, an e-Waste Fund had been established with the mandate of overseeing funds set aside for the management of e-Waste in Ghana.

The Administrator said the Fund was to invest in the development of infrastructure and capacity-building initiatives that enable the safe collection, transportation, and recycling of e-waste.

He said the Ministry of Communications and Digitalisation, through GIFEC, was collaborating with the e-Waste Fund to leverage GIFEC’s extensive network of Community ICT Centres to establish convenient collection points for electronic waste across various communities in Ghana.

He said this cooperation presented a
unique and innovative opportunity to address the environmental challenges posed by e-waste while simultaneously enhancing the accessibility of disposal options, and more importantly, awareness creation on e-waste for communities across Ghana.

Mr Sefah called on all stakeholders to join forces, especially through regulatory harmonisation and sensitisation of citizens, to better manage the challenge of e-waste management and rather realise its great potential benefits in Africa.

The Administrator said there were opportunities for economic development emerging from the unprecedented surge in the adoption of technology, fueled by the rapid expansion of mobile connectivity and the increasing penetration of Internet services.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Government has released funds to the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to facilitate the payment of the lump sum top-up pension benefits to beneficiaries.

The beneficiaries are those who retired under the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766) in 2020 and whose benefits were lower than what they would have received under PNDCL 247.

This was disclosed to the Ghana News Agency in a communique issued at the end of a meeting held on 30th April, in Accra, between Government represented by the Ministry of Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions, the Ministry of Finance, the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, the National Pensions Regulatory Authority and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and Organised Labour represented by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and the FORUM of the other part.

The communique was signed collectively by Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the Minister of Employment, Labour Relations and Pensions; Dr Anthony Yaw Baah, Secretary General, TUC; and
Mr Isaac Bampoe Addo, Chairman, FORUM.

According to the Communique it was agreed that the government had started the payment of the TIER II outstanding arrears and agreed on payment plans with the Public Sector Schemes, having paid the first tranche on 24th April.

It said that the government would pay the agreed amounts partly in cash and government papers.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The chiefs and people of Enyan Obontser, a farming community in the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District of the Central Region, have appealed to the Government and stakeholders in the telecommunications industry to provide them with mobile network services.

The lack of mobile networks and internet services in the rural community is affecting the lives of the people; their work, education and health.

A dedicated tree and a hill have become the reception spots and unless they climb the tree or the hill, the people cannot make or receive calls and messages.

Apart from the risk of falling and the obvious dangers during emergency cases, the situation also leaves no room for privacy.

Nana Kofi Donkor Dua, the Tufohen of Enyan Obontser, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that teachers and nurses rarely accepted postings to Obontser and adjoining communities owing to the network situation.

Most of the teachers lived outside the community and commuted to work every day, he said, adding: ‘There is no teacher living in our
community.’

‘We have enough accommodation for them but because of the network issues, they all stay far away from the community.’

He expressed frustrations about the situation, fearing that it could lead to deaths in emergency situations.

‘You can’t stay in your room and make a call and so when there is an emergency, we are found wanting. When somebody sends you a text message, unless you move to Mankessim, you cannot access it.’

‘We are pleading with government, organisations, individuals, MTN and the service providers to come to our aid.’

Nana Donkor Dua shared with the Ghana News Agency how they were sensitising parents and guardians in the community to allow their children to go to school instead of allowing them to do farm work.

He said because the town was an agrarian community, parents usually preferred taking their children along with them to the farm.

‘But we are talking to them and they are listening. They have come to appreciate the essence of education and now they only take their children
to farm on weekends,’ Nana Duah said.

Some residents who shared their experiences with the GNA indicated the difficulty in accessing mobile money and undertaking other mobile phone-related activities and asked for the government’s intervention.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) assets being considered for divestments have an estimated reserve of 4.96 billion barrels of oil.

The Commission Chief Executive of NUPRC, Mr Gbenga Komolafe disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at the NUPRC-SPDC due diligence divestment workshop.

Komolafe said at the workshop that the assets have reserves of 1.77 billion barrels of condensate, 28.16 trillion cubic feet of associated gas and 28.11 trillion cubic feet of non-associated gas.

The workshop was aimed at discussing the proposed divestment of the participating interests held by SPDC in the SPDC JV Assets, through a sale by the shareholders of all the issued shares of SPDC to Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited.

The SPDC JV assets are currently operated by the SPDC on behalf of its Joint Venture (JV) partners namely Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), Total Upstream Nigeria Limited, Nigeria A
gip Oil Company and SPDC.

‘To date, the assets have achieved a cumulative production of 5.35 billion barrels of crude oil, 165. 57 million barrels of condensate, 9.51 trillion cubic feet of associated gas and 3.75 trillion cubic feet of non-associated gas.

‘These contribute to the achievement of Nigeria’s crude and condensate output.

‘The assets being considered have an estimated total reserve of 4.96 billion barrels of oil, 1.77 billion barrels of condensate, 28.16 trillion cubic feet of associated gas and 28.11 trillion cubic feet of non-associated gas.

‘This makes a significant contribution to the nation’s hydrocarbon resources.

‘Additionally, these assets hold P3 reserves estimated at 2.85 billion barrels of oil, 850.85 million barrels of condensate, 11.3 trillion cubic feet of associated gas and 12.26 trillion cubic feet of Non-Associated Gas,’ he said.

Komolafe said the due diligence meeting would enable the commission to identify a successor who would not only possess the requisite financial reso
urces but also demonstrate the technical expertise to responsibly manage these assets throughout their lifecycle.

He further said that the commission would ensure that the inherent environmental and end-of-life liabilities such as decommissioning liabilities were accurately identified and assigned to the party best equipped to bear the associated risks.

This, he said would necessitate a comprehensive understanding of regulatory requirements, industry best practices and the unique challenges inherent in oil and gas operations.

‘To this end, we have implemented robust measures to streamline regulatory procedures and eliminate unnecessary barriers to investment.

‘Let me emphasise that the NUPRC wholeheartedly welcomes investment in the Nigerian upstream petroleum sector.

‘We recognise the critical role investment plays in driving innovation, creating employment opportunities and ultimately fueling economic prosperity for our nation and its people.

‘Therefore, we are always eager to welcome local and intern
ational investors who choose to invest in the Nigerian upstream petroleum sector,’ he said.

He added that the commission was fully committed to facilitating and supporting investment initiatives that align with national development goals.

Komolafe urged SPDC and Renaissance to engage proactively, adhere to regulatory requirements and work collaboratively with the NUPRC to ensure the successful conclusion of the Shell Divestment.

‘As regulators, we will ensure that this evaluation is conducted with precision and impartiality, with a focus on transparency and accountability,’ he said.

He lauded President Bola Tinubu for his support and commitment towards ensuring a purposeful leadership that would attract investment and development of the country’s oil and gas sector.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NUPRC has developed a Divestment Framework consisting of seven cardinal pillars to guide the assessment of applications for Ministerial consent to the SPDC divestments and other similar divest
ments.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has expressed Federal Government’s commitment to implement the 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrients Survey (NFCMS ) report for improved nutritional outcomes in the country.

He made this known at the launch of the NFCMS report on Tuesday in Abuja.

Represented by Mrs Uju Anwukah, the Special Adviser to the President on Public Health/Focal Person, Nutrition, Shettima said the government would not only implement the NFCMS report but would also improve budgetary allocation to health and agriculture to address malnutrition.

He added that as the Chairman, National Council on Nutrition, he would drive the nutrition agenda through the pillars of decentralised coordination, profile raising, financing, scaling up nutrition interventions, data, and accountability.

He said ‘as we launch the report of the 2021 national foods consumption and multi nutrient survey, we reflect that beyond the numerical data lies the profound impact on lives, the potential for positive transform
ation and unity of purpose it brings to our nation.

‘In all I have a firm belief that Nigeria will be placed in most exemplary nations with improved nutrition indices.’

Also, Prof. Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, said the government and other stakeholders would prioritise improving nutritional outcomes.

He added that ‘the report that we are launching today provides evidence to inform policies, programmes, implementation and learning over time.

‘We are moving from faith-based policies and programming to evidence-based policies and proven programming.

‘So, I want to assure you that we are committed to implementing evidence-based solutions to improve nutritional outcomes.’

Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, who represented Minister of State, Aliyu Abdullahi, said the NFCMS is a step toward achieving food security and nutrition.

He said, ‘this report has further given us an opportunity for evidence-based policymaking programming, project and interve
ntion development.’

Abubakar Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, said the report represents a significant milestone in Nigeria’s aspiration to address malnutrition for improved health of citizens.

Bagudu, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Nebeolisa Anako, stressed the need for relevant stakeholders to have access to the report to inform evidence- based interventions and policies that would ensure food security and nutrition in the country.

He said ‘today’s event is to launch key outcomes of the survey, assess progress on ongoing efforts to strengthen the nutrition data value chain in Nigeria. It is also to start new initiatives and partnerships for data investments and follow up action.

‘I, therefore, advise that we redouble our efforts to promote nutrition sensitive agriculture, improve the food systems and strengthen health services to ensure access to safe, nutritious, and diverse foods.

‘We must also work to enhance nutrition education to empower individuals and communities to
make healthier food choices.’

Mrs Ladidi Bako-Aiyegbusi, the Director and Head of Nutrition Department, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said the survey was conducted in the 36 states and the FCT, 290 clusters and 9,107 households.

Bako-Aiyegbusi added that children under five years, adolescents between 10 and 14 years, and women within reproductive age were also involved.

‘We looked at the prevalence and distribution of different micronutrient deficiencies.

‘The status of micronutrient intake and coverage of key interventions, we reviewed the existing national micronutrient strategy and how it is being implemented.

‘What are the challenges and also we used the survey to set priorities and deploy programmes,’ she said.

Dr Micheal Ojo, the Country Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), said the report provided data for the government and partners to plan and implement policies aimed at addressing malnutrition.

Also, Nemat Hajeebhoy, the Chief of Nutrition, UNICEF, noted t
hat Nigeria has the largest number of malnourished children in the continent and second largest globally, while 32 million people in this lean season are going to be food insecure.

Hajeebhoy, therefore, added that the NFCMS would aid in addressing malnutrition and improve food security in the country.

Similarly, Laurel Rushton, the Lead Director, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Nutrition Division (RMNCH+ Nutrition), USAID, said Nigeria falls behind in meeting nutrition global targets.

Rushton explained that the NFCMS report would drive evidence-based approaches and innovative solutions to tackle malnutrition.

Other highlights of the event were the joint unveiling of the NFCMS report and conferment of awards to notable organisations and personalities for their contributions to the success of the survey.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria