The Borno State House of Assembly has inaugurated Local Government Area (LGA) Committees on Food and Nutrition to implement the National Nutrition 774 Initiative, aimed at improving child welfare and tackling malnutrition at the grassroots level.
Speaking during the inauguration in Maiduguri on Thursday, the Chairman of the House Committee on Health and Nutrition, Maina Mustapha Garba, explained that the initiative is designed to improve nutrition outcomes in the state, with a strong focus on early childhood development and food security.
He stated that the Nutrition 774 initiative will deliver high-impact, community-based interventions across the 27 LGAs in Borno, calling on all stakeholders to ensure transparency, coordination, and accountability to guarantee the programme’s success.
Garba also pledged that the House would provide continuous legislative backing and oversight to ensure the initiative’s long-term sustainability.
In his remarks, the UNICEF Chief of Maiduguri Field Office, Mr. Joseph Senissie, hailed the initiative as “a frontline defence against malnutrition” and urged urgent action to address the state’s high rates of child malnutrition.
He commended the Borno State Government for its leadership and called on local authorities to ensure the effective functioning of the newly inaugurated committees.
Senissie revealed that Nigeria loses 11% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually due to nutrition-related issues, describing the situation as both a national economic challenge and a human tragedy.
He praised Borno’s efforts and encouraged other states to adopt the Nutrition 774 model for its potential to deliver results directly to communities.
Senissie also welcomed the joint decision by Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States to ban the misuse of nutrition commodities, warning that meaningful progress will require sustained political will and adequate financial investment.
He urged all stakeholders to support the Child Nutrition Fund, citing Borno’s ₦600,000 contribution as a promising step forward.
“The time to act is now. When we fight malnutrition, we fight for life,” he said.
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