Children Are Perishing:Yobe Seeks Military, Police Backing to Stop Diversion of Lifesaving Food



By Yusuf A Yusuf,Damaturu 

The Yobe State Government has allocated N500 million to procure and distribute nutrition commodities in the fight against child malnutrition, as authorities raise alarm over the theft and illegal diversion of lifesaving therapeutic food meant for vulnerable children.
Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Mohammed Lawan Gana, disclosed this on Wednesday during a high-level stakeholders engagement meeting with law enforcement agencies, legislators, civil society organisations, and development partners in Damaturu, the state capital.

Represented by the Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Babagana Kundi Machina, the Commissioner said the government is deeply concerned about the high rate of malnutrition among children under five, describing it as both a public health crisis and a national security threat.

The meeting brought together heads of security agencies, members of the State House of Assembly, the Governor's Adviser on Health, the Ministry of Budget, and development partners to enlighten law enforcement and stakeholders on the importance of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in treating acute malnutrition, and to create awareness on the magnitude, causes, misuse, diversion, theft, and illegal marketing of nutrition commodities in the state.

The Commissioner further assured that the state government remains steadfast in ensuring the health and well-being of all citizens, particularly malnourished children, and called on security agencies to collaborate in safeguarding nutrition supplies and ensuring they reach the intended beneficiaries.
In his goodwill message, UNICEF representative Dr. K.C. Nwongu commended the Yobe State Government for its commitment, noting that UNICEF is supporting the state with additional nutrition supplies. He however acknowledged that challenges remain.

"We have a very strong, cordial, and durable partnership with the government, through this partnership, we have been reaching out to children. However, we have to accept that there are things we have not yet achieved to their best," Dr. Nwongu said.
He called for collective action, stating that the stakeholders' engagement meeting gave them great hope that things would improve.

"Because if we all choose action, things will get better," said the UNICEF representative, Dr. Nwongu.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Unity Takes Center Stage as Yobe APC Leadership Visits Gaidam

Image
By Yusuf A Yusuf  In a decisive move to strengthen party unity, the Yobe State leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), accompanied by its governorship candidate, paid a crucial consultative visit to Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, the Minister of Police Affairs, at his Abuja residence. The high-powered delegation, comprising Yobe APC State Chairman Alhaji Mohammad Gadaka and the party's flagbearer Alhaji Baba Malam Wali, described the meeting as a cornerstone of their ongoing reconciliation efforts across the state. The visit carried deep political significance, serving as a symbolic acknowledgment of Senator Gaidam's towering influence as the undisputed political leader of Yobe State. Far from being a routine courtesy call, the gathering showcased political maturity, humility, and steadfast loyalty to the party's founding ideals. By honoring Senator Gaidam, whose visionary leadership and personal sacrifices cemented APC's dominance in Yobe, the current p...
Read more

The Borno Succession Puzzle: How Zulum, Shettima, and the Engineers Are Shaping 2027

Image
By Liman Amsami Alkali Drawing from the authoritative work Political Succession in Nigeria, edited by Dr. Otive Igbuzor, which argues that political succession is perhaps the most important type of leadership transition because it directly affects the stability, survival, and development of nations, I wish to examine the ongoing succession crisis unfolding in Borno State.  Governor Professor Babagana Umara Zulum now faces the most defining political battle of his second term—the choice of a successor—amidst fierce resistance from the camp of Vice President Kashim Shettima. The contest currently features several key figures. From the Vice President's side, Senator Abubakar Kyari, the incumbent Minister of Agriculture, stands as Shettima's preferred candidate, while Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, who represents Borno Central, also has his own political structure.  However, the Vice President's clear preference for Kyari has created a noticeable distance between Shettim...
Read more

Yobe Christians in APC Endorse Baba Malam Wali for 2027, Hail Buni’s Inclusive Rule

Image
By Yusuf A Yusuf Damaturu  The Yobe South APC Christian Forum for Inclusive Governance has officially thrown its weight behind Alh. Baba Malam Wali,as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election. The endorsement was the high point of the group’s “Inclusive Governance for Collective Progress and Development Summit 2026,” where Christian stakeholders from Yobe South resolved to back continuity and reward inclusive leadership. In a communiqué signed by the forum’s Convener, Omale John Achimugu, the group described Wali, currently Secretary to the Yobe State Government, as a seasoned administrator with the competence and institutional memory to sustain the developmental strides of Governor Mai Mala Buni. The forum lauded Governor Buni for deliberately integrating Christian communities into governance, restoring peace, advancing infrastructure, and empowering youth. They noted that such inclusion has boosted democratic participation and fostered a sense of belon...
Read more