Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti, has described the ongoing crisis of malnutrition in Nigeria as a “silent emergency”, calling for urgent, holistic measures to tackle the scourge threatening the future of the country’s children and youth.
Governor Otti stated this in Umuahia, while declaring open the Abia State Advocacy and Training on Nutrition 774 initiative, with the theme; “Strengthening Capacity To Drive Action For Nutrition Delivery”.
The Governor who titled his address “Responding to a Silent Emergency”, identified health and well-being of the people as the surest guarantee of the stability and future of any society and stressed that the programme goes beyond food and nourishment.
“It is a timely intervention to save the future of our State and Country by addressing what has become a critical threat to physical and cognitive development of the people, especially the younger demographics, who are the biggest victims of poor nutrition.
“The statistics that have been shared from the various presentations on the challenge of under-nourishment give real cause for concern”, he said.
Governor Otti applauded the Federal Government for developing a “holistic framework” to address malnutrition, noting that the Nutrition 774 Initiative incorporates a multi-tiered governance structure and a robust support system that targets both urban and rural populations.
The Governor used the occasion to restate his administration’s commitment to prioritising education and healthcare, disclosing that 35% of the State’s annual budget since 2024 has been allocated to those sectors.
He emphasised the need to support Agriculture as a key strategy to reduce food prices and combat hunger, noting that insecurity, poor infrastructure, and underinvestment remain Nigeria’s major obstacles to achieving food security and sustainable agricultural development.
Governor Otti noted that Nigeria is too blessed to be battling with the crisis of malnutrition, urged stakeholders to invest in Agro-based solutions and rethink policy tools to make farming attractive and sustainable.
The Governor while commending the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health and the focal person for Nutrition 774 Initiative, Dr. Mrs. Uju Anwuka for her “excellent commitment” and “focus”, also acknowledged the role of the National Council on Nutrition (NCN), chaired by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, for selecting Abia as the pilot State for the initiative.
He pledged the full support of the State Government towards the implementation of the N774 programme in all local government areas, adding that his administration will “do everything required of us to holistically address this terrible scourge afflicting millions of our compatriots”.
Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Mr. Kingsley Anosike,in his opening remarks described the newly inaugurated Council as a “dream team” entrusted with driving the N-774 initiative from planning through to execution.
He explained that the workshop would focus on identifying the critical factors needed to achieve the initiative’s objectives and urged all participants to engage fully to ensure its success.
In her remarks earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health and Focal Person for the Nutrition 774 initiative, Mrs. Uju Anwukah, said the workshop was designed to formally introduce the programme to key stakeholders in Abia State.
Mrs Anwukah described malnutrition as a national emergency that requires urgent and coordinated efforts, strong political will at all levels of government, and a multisectoral approach.
She emphasised that the fight against malnutrition cannot be waged from Abuja alone, but must involve Traditional Rulers, Local Government Chairmen, and grassroots stakeholders across all 774 local government areas in the country.
Mrs. Anwuka also called for the integration of nutrition into the State’s Agriculture, Education, and Health sectors, stressing the need for Abia to take full ownership of the initiative through strong institutional commitment and collaboration.
