By Grace Onwukwe
Nnewi South Local Government Council on September 11, 2025, inaugurated the Committee on Food and Nutrition to help combat the challenges of malnutrition.
The inauguration, which held at the Nnewi South Local Government Headquarters, Ukpor, was in line with the goal of achieving a well-nourished Nigeria through access to adequate nutrition for healthy living and sustainable development (IN-774 Initiative) using a bottom-to-top approach. It also aimed at carrying out sensitization and interventions against malnutrition at the grassroots to prevent stunting, wasting, and obesity among children, anaemia among pregnant women, as well as improve healthy living across all ages.
The inauguration was also aimed at combating the challenges of malnutrition by advocating a return to natural food sources to ensure a balanced diet.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (MBEP), Mrs. Chiamaka Nnake, who is the State Focal Person, Steering Committee of Food and Nutrition, as well as the Permanent Secretary, MBEP, Mrs. Chinyere Nwabachili, Chairman of the State Council of Food and Nutrition, were unavoidably absent at the occasion. They were ably represented by the State Nutrition Officer, Dr. Rose Amasiani.
Inaugurated members of the Nnewi South Committee on Food and Nutrition include: Hon. Nneka Ireka, Deputy Mayor and Chairman of the Committee, and Mrs. Amamchukwu Eucharia, Nutrition Focal Person and Secretary.
Other members are: Supervisory Councillor for Health, Supervisory Councillor for Agriculture, LGA Secretary, Hon. Igwe Nzeka, Mrs. Azuka Ibeh (HOD, PHC), Mr. Mmadubike Joseph (HOD, Finance), Mrs. Atansi Ngozi Theresa (HOD, Social Services), Mrs. Obiora Nwanneka (HOD, Information), Mrs. Okafor Ngozi (HOD, Agriculture), Mrs. Nsolibe Chinwe (Education Secretary), Mrs. Madu Theresa Egodi (Admin Officer, Health), and Mrs. Onyenorufodu Theresa (Health Officer).
While inaugurating the committee, Dr. Amasiani maintained that nutrition is multi-sectoral, calling on the members to work in synergy. She reiterated that nutrition is one of the pillars to combat hunger and poverty in Nigeria, adding that the inauguration at the LGA level was in line with the structure to fight malnutrition from the national to the local level.
She explained that at the national level, the Deputy President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency Kashim Shettima, is the Chairman of the National Committee on Food and Nutrition, while the Permanent Secretary, MBEP, is the Chairman of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition with the State Nutrition Officer as Secretary. All Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) involved in nutrition activities are also members. At the LGA level, the Mayor is the Focal Person, Steering Committee; the Deputy Mayor is the Chairman; and the LGA Nutrition Focal Person is the Secretary of the committee.
She further enjoined the committee to scout for more members, especially philanthropists.
The committee was also charged with the responsibility of securing a budget line for nutrition, as well as carrying out nutrition interventions in the LGA. They were also tasked with creating a WhatsApp platform, conducting quarterly meetings, and submitting reports and data to the state for onward submission to the national level, adding that this reporting structure is also done at the state level.
Dr. Amasiani emphasized that the Governor’s scorecard is one of the criteria used at the national level to assess states’ performance on nutrition. She noted that Anambra has been performing poorly over the years and expressed hope that the inauguration and training at the LGA level would help the state scale up.
The Mayor of Nnewi South, Hon. Van George Chinedum Ezeogidi, thanked the state team for the visit and commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for his smart initiatives in uplifting the state. He assured the committee of his support to ensure optimal performance, urging them to give their best and ensure adequate sensitization at the grassroots.
In her vote of thanks, the Chairman of the Committee and Deputy Mayor of Nnewi South LGA, Hon. Nneka Ireka, expressed joy at the inauguration, assuring that the committee would discharge its duties effectively to ensure healthy living among the people of the LGA, the state, and the nation at large.
Other state team members present at the inauguration were: Grace Onwukwe, Desk Officer, Ministry of Information, and Emilia Anisiobi, Desk Officer, Ministry of Agriculture.
Deputy Mayors from other LGAs who attended were: Hon. Paul Ifeme, Deputy Mayor, Awka South LGA, and Hon. Chukwudozie Rowland Okwunna, Deputy Mayor, Ihiala LGA.
Grace is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
