The Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria has urged traditional institution in Gombe State, to collaborate in its deliberate effort to ensure increase in budgetary allocation and release, as well six months maternity leave to enhance exclusive breastfeeding.
Disclosing these on Tuesday, at the residence of Wazirin Gombe, Yaya Hammari, Gombe State Coordinator of CS-SUNN, Comfort Mukollo, who led members on advocacy visit to seek the collaboration of traditional leaders underscored their importance in getting government’s buy in.
She commended Gombe Executive Council for approving the five-year nutrition policy in the state, stressing that it would go a long way to reducing malnutrition.
According to her, other methods to tackling malnutrition in the state include increasing investment in nutrition, urging for approval of six months maternal leave to encourage exclusive breastfeeding.
Periscope Nigeria reports that this advocacy was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Mukollo said, “To tell you more about it that this project aims at increasing investment in nutrition in Gombe State. We have been doing series of advocacies.
“One is increase in budgetary allocation and release. Thankfully, just last week as reported that the governor has approved nutrition policy and has committed about N2.3 billion.
“Another issue we want to advocate is for extension of maternity leave to six months. Gombe State has up to four months but we want it to six months to civil servants and other establishments.”
Emphasising on the choice of collaboration with traditional leaders, She added, “We feel that as traditional rulers you are a voice. Policy makers usually listen to you and you advise them adequately. So we are here to advocate so that you can extend it.”
Also speaking, UNICEF consultant Jessica Bartholomew, expressed optimism that the collaboration would yield the deserved results in the state.
Bartholomew said, “I’m very excited that this collaboration will yield the expected results because it’s the same thing that we want that you people (traditional institution) also want; you want your children to be healthy free of malnutrition, you also want women to give birth without issues around infant and maternal mortality.
“It is your mandate as traditional institution to take care of the community, they are under you and we are sure you don’t want our children dying due to malnutrition. We are really excited, CS-SUNN is really excited to work with Gombe. This is because your policy makers are ever ready to be on the table to address issues that concern nutrition. If you check children that got exclusive breastfeeding from zero-six months and those that didn’t the difference is clear.”
On his part, Hammari, who was elated to receive the team enumerated the roles of traditional institution.
Hammari, who was recently conferred with Galadima Kudu Funakaye, promised to use his influence to educate the traditional institution.
He said, “We transmit, direct, control, educate, inform and we also motivate are some of the functions of the traditional institution. Above all, we are custodians of peace, culture and tradition. In any system of government we must be involved if you want to succeed.”
Hammari promised to pass the importance of exclusive breastfeeding to stakeholders at Gombe North Elders Forum, adding that “I will use this in my executive committee and the other committees in the local government to educate more people on nutritious diet.”
He urged the CS-SUNN team to establish committees across the 11 LGAs to educate dwellers, “We will try as much as possible to coordinate. What I’m praying for you to do is to inaugurate committees in the local government areas to advocate to Emirs of each LGA and council bosses,” he added.
