Reported by: Agande Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Henry Owen
Idemili North and South Local Government Areas of Anambra State have inaugurated Committees on Food and Nutrition as part of efforts to combat malnutrition and promote healthy living. The inauguration, held on October 1, 2025, at Ogidi and Ojoto, aligns with the Federal Government’s IN-774 Initiative aimed at ensuring adequate nutrition and sustainable development across Nigeria.
Dr. Rose Amasiani, State Nutrition Officer, officiated the inauguration on behalf of the State Government, with authority from Mrs. Chiamaka Nnake, Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, and Mrs. Chinyere Nwabachili, Permanent Secretary and Chairman of the State Council on Food and Nutrition.
The committees are tasked with implementing interventions at the local level, promoting natural food sources, balanced diets, and preventing stunting, wasting, obesity in children, and anaemia in pregnant women. Dr. Amasiani emphasized the use of the Mother, Infant, and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) approach, urging committees to include stakeholders, philanthropists, and community members in their activities. She stressed the need for a dedicated budget line, quarterly reviews, coordinated communication platforms, and reporting to state and national authorities.
The Idemili North Committee is chaired by Hon. Phina Onwuachu, Deputy Mayor, with members drawn from various sectors including health, agriculture, planning, and local governance. Key members include Mayor Hon. Nkwoka Stanley Chigbo, Dr. Nkem Okeke (Health), and Engr. Emeka Achikwu (Administration). Other members were drawn from the community and technical departments.
The Idemili South Committee is chaired by Hon. Ifeanyi Anakuba, Deputy Mayor, with members including health supervisors, agriculture and nutrition officers, personnel management, and local government representatives. Key members present included Dr. Amaka Obi (Mayor, represented by Deputy) and Hon. Orji Vic Okoye (HLGA).
Dr. Amasiani noted that Nigeria ranks first in Africa and eighth globally for malnutrition, with 40% of children wasted and 60% of pregnant women anaemic. She highlighted the Governor’s Nutrition Scorecard as a tool for assessing state performance and expressed confidence that the LGA committees would strengthen grassroots nutrition interventions.
In their remarks, the Mayors and Local Government officials pledged support for the committees, emphasizing the need for community sensitization and ensuring no resident is left behind in the fight against malnutrition. The committees will implement initiatives to encourage consumption of natural, locally available foods while addressing food insecurity and nutrition-related health challenges.
State team members in attendance included Doris Chioma Ejike (Nutrition Desk Officer, ADP) and Grace Onwukwe (Ministry of Information), providing technical and administrative support for the committees’ work.
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