The United Nations Children’s Fund has again raised the alarm that Nigeria loses about 100 children per hour due to malnutrition. This translates to about 2,400 deaths daily. It, therefore, called for increased funding and other measures that could help in arresting the challenge urgently.
Speaking in Lagos on Thursday during an interaction with media executives, UNICEF’s Chief Nutrition Officer in Nigeria, Nemat Hajeebhoy, noted that Nigeria was moving towards a nutrition emergency. The event was organised by the National Council on Nutrition, chaired by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo
Hajeebhoy said one-third of children in Nigeria lived in severe food poverty, adding that the first 1,000 days of a child’s life offered a unique window of opportunity for preventing under nutrition and its consequences.
She stated, “Poor diet is robbing millions of children of their health, development and lifetime prospects, because every hour, almost 100 children under the age of five die in Nigeria. Left untreated, children with severe acute malnutrition are nearly 12 times more likely to die than a healthy child.
“Nigeria is ranked number one in Africa and second in the world in terms of malnourished children. This is not the kind of statistics we should be proud of. Without urgent action, UNICEF estimates that approximately 14.7 million children under age five will suffer from moderate and severe acute malnutrition this year.
“Nigeria signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1991 and access to good nutrition is an important right of every child. In 2003, Nigeria signed the Child Rights Act and 29 out of 36 states have strong Child Rights Act.
“If we have all of these in place, what are we doing about the right of these 21 million children to good nutrition?” She pointed out that the cost of inaction to address the challenge was 15 per cent Gross Domestic Product loss for Nigeria.
She also revealed that energy-only diets cost N707 per household per day while nutritious diets cost N1,687 per household per day, which is unaffordable by 34 per cent of households in the country.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Nutrition, Mrs Abimbola Adesanmi, said the event was to expand awareness of malnutrition and educate the citizens on their roles as stakeholders.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecasted a period of sunshine and haziness from Sunday to Tuesday across the country. According to the weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja, NiMet predicts sunny skies in a hazy atmosphere over the northern region during this forecast period. The North Central region is also expected to experience sunny skies in a hazy atmosphere.
In the Inland states of the South, NiMet anticipates cloudy skies with spells of sunshine. Coastal cities are expected to have cloudy skies with the possibility of thunderstorms over parts of Edo, Ondo, Imo, Ebonyi, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states during the afternoon and evening hours.
Dust haze is foreseen over the northern region on Monday, while the North Central region is expected to experience sunny skies in a hazy atmosphere. The Inland states of the South and coastal cities are predicted to have cloudy skies with spells of sunshine, along with the likelihood of morning mist over Delta, Bayelsa, Lagos, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom. Thunderstorms are expected later in the day over parts of Rivers, Bayelsa, and Akwa Ibom states.
On Tuesday, NiMet forecasts dust haze with a visibility range of 2km to 5 km over the northern region. The North Central region is expected to experience dust haze as well. In the Inland states of the South and coastal cities, cloudy skies with spells of sunshine are anticipated.
NiMet issues a cautionary note about dust particles in suspension and advises the public, especially individuals with respiratory issues, to take necessary precautions. The agency also warns of the potential for moderate to heavy rainfall leading to flash floods and advises the public to exercise caution. Strong winds are likely to precede and accompany thunderstorms, and disaster risk managers, agencies, and individuals are advised to be proactive during the rainy season.
Finally, NiMet advises airline operators to obtain updated weather reports from its office for effective planning in their operations.
Each of the 109 senators in the Federal Republic of Nigeria has contributed their December salaries to assist the victims of the recent bombing incident in Kaduna that occurred last Sunday. The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, made this announcement on Sunday during a visit to the Kaduna State Government House, leading a prominent delegation of Senate members. The delegation was welcomed at the Government House by Governor Uba Sani. Further information will be provided soon.
The 64th Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government is currently taking place in Abuja, Nigeria. President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria is set to chair the session, which is being attended by leaders from the 15-member block.
According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), countries such as Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have already gathered at the venue, the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Other member states present include Benin, Gambia, Togo, Cape Verde, and Senegal.
In addition to the Heads of State and Government, the meeting is being attended by the ECOWAS Commission and other stakeholders, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, the U.S. Lead diplomat for Africa, Molly Phee, the African Union (AU), and the UN Secretary-General Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Simao.
The agenda for the end-of-year meeting includes a comprehensive review of decisions and agreements previously made by the body. This encompasses topics such as the adoption of the ECO as a common currency for the region. The regional body will also deliberate on issues such as the recent coup d’etats in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea.
Furthermore, the meeting will address concerns related to climate change, democracy, bilateral relations, and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
