KWSG FLAGS OFF NUTRITION WORKSHOP FOR LG OFFICIALS

......Organises one-day training workshop on balanced diet for Kwara North Senatorial Local Government Areas...

The Kwara State Government has flagged off a one-day capacity building workshop on Food and Nutrition for Local Government Nutrition Focal Persons and Community Development Association Members.

The aim of the workshop was to sensitize people at the grassroots and maximize the use of locally sourced food items to replace chemically induced spices.

The Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Hon. Abubakar Abdullahi Bata disclosed this at Bode Sa'adu, the Headquarters of Moro Local Government for the people of Baruten, Kaiama, Patigi, Edu and Moro Development Associations in the Kwara North Senatorial District. The Commissioner, who was represented at the occasion by the Director, Community Development, Mr. Abdullateef Mustapha thanked the present administration under the leadership of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (CON), for its foresight and leadership acumen and for bringing back life into the nutrition programme, including other similar programmes with direct impacts on the well-being of the citizens.

Driving home the importance of a healthy nutrition, Hon. Bata acknowledged the great impact of the present administration in taking the initiative to the grassroots for the benefit of the rural dwellers. 

He noted that the programme, which had long been abandoned, was resuscitated by the present administration owing to the great role it would play in enhancing the lifestyle of Kwarans.

Hon. Bata implored the participants to maintain the confidence reposed in them by increasing the tempo of effective and well coordinated awareness campaigns to the hinterlands.

Earlier, the Director, Community Development of the Ministry, Mallam Abdullateef Mustapha, who was represented by an Assistant Director, Community Development, who is also the Desk Officer on Food and Nutrition from the Ministry, Mr AbdulRazaq Abiodun Babatunde acknowledged the huge role of the present administration at ensuring that every Kwaran is well nourished and healthy. 

 The nutritionists and  facilitators, Mr Adedoyin Saheed and Hajia Jemilah Adamu Gene from the State Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Health, respectively, emphasized the importance of balanced diets through the use of locally sourced food items, noting the negative effects of malnutrition both physically and intellectually, especially in children.

They reiterated further the importance of healthy living through balanced diets, especially, for mothers to adequately nurture their babies, through exclusive breastfeeding and the need to make do with available local foods.

Fielding questions from the participants, they encouraged them to embrace the old practice of home gardening, which they explained would grant them access to fresh vegetables at no costs, while the school gardening would teach the younger generation, the importance of greens in their daily diets.

Giving the vote of thanks, the Vice Chairperson, Kaiama Local Government Council, Hajia Sadiq Abubakar Aisha commended the State Government for the resuscitation of the programme and the Ministry for deeming for carrying the Local Government Councils along, noting that the gesture would go along way in promoting healthy living and boosting economic activities at the grassroots.

Participants drawn from the five Local Government Councils in the Senatorial District included;  Local Government Nutrition Focal Persons, Chairmen and Secretaries of Community Development Associations from the Northern Senatorial Districts, among other stakeholders.

 Press Secretary

Oba Azeez 

Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development.

0803 911 8199