Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, has inaugurated the State Council on Nutrition, reaffirming his administration’s commitment to tackling malnutrition and improving the health and well-being of children across the state.
Speaking at the launch of the Zamfara Nutrition 774 Initiative held on Tuesday at the Government House in Gusau, Governor Lawal described malnutrition as not just a health challenge but an economic barrier that threatens human capital development.
“We cannot build a secure, resilient, and prosperous Zamfara on a foundation of poor nutrition,” the governor said. “An investment in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life is the single most significant investment we can make in this state’s future.”
The Nutrition 774 Initiative is a community-driven, multi-sectoral programme designed to enhance nutritional outcomes across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas. It is anchored on collaboration among key sectors including health, agriculture, education, social protection, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
Governor Lawal emphasized that the initiative aligns with Zamfara’s “Rescue Agenda”, noting that the newly constituted State Council on Nutrition will serve as the coordinating body for all nutrition-related policies and programmes in the state.
“This launch is a call to action,” he said. “The council has full authority to set policy, coordinate efforts, and supervise all nutrition activities across our local governments. My administration is committed to providing the leadership and resources required to ensure the success and sustainability of this initiative.”
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The council comprises key commissioners and senior government officials tasked with driving the state’s nutrition agenda and ensuring alignment with federal objectives.
Earlier in her goodwill message, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Mrs. Uju Rochas Anwukah, commended Governor Lawal’s leadership in the health sector. She lauded the Nutrition 774 Initiative as a step toward building “a well-nourished and healthy Nigeria” through strengthened local and national nutrition frameworks.
Governor Lawal’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, noted in a statement that the establishment of the council marks a “transformative milestone” in Zamfara’s pursuit of improved child health and long-term socio-economic development.