The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reiterated its commitment to partnering with Benue State and other relevant stakeholders to address issues preventing proper growth and development in children under five years old.
Dr. Shamina Sharmin, Officer in Charge for UNICEF’s Field Office in Enugu, made this statement during the Policy Dialogue with Benue State’s Executive and Legislative Councils on Investment in Nutrition, held in Makurdi, Benue State, on Thursday.
Speaking on the theme, “Harnessing Optimal Developmental Potentials of Benue State Children and Adolescents through Investment in Maternal, Infant, Young Child, and Adolescent Nutrition: Key to Sustainable Development,” Dr. Sharmin commended the state government for the approval and public launch of the Benue State Policy on Food and Nutrition, as well as the State Multisectoral Strategic Plan for Nutrition.
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The UNICEF Field Officer, referencing the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2023/24, highlighted that 336,743 children under five, or 26% of this age group, are stunted. Dr. Sharmin attributed this to poor maternal, infant, and young child feeding practices during the first 1,000 days (from pregnancy to two years of age). He also pointed out that only 17% of children receive the minimum acceptable diet (MICS, 2021), and 43% of children aged 0-5 months are denied the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding (MICS, 2021).
Dr. Sharmin urged the state government to increase budgetary allocations for nutrition, strengthen multisectoral collaboration across sectors like health, education, agriculture, and social protection, and extend paid maternity leave to six months. These measures, he said, would accelerate progress and ensure that every child has an equal opportunity to thrive.
Meanwhile, Governor Hyacinth Alia, represented by his deputy, Sam Ode, emphasized that investing in children’s nutrition from the very beginning of life is one of the most powerful ways to break the cycle of poverty and pave the way for a prosperous future.
“Good nutrition is foundational to every aspect of human development: physical, cognitive, and social,” the governor said.
