Governor of Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has restated his administration’s commitment to a people-centered government with focus on nutrition, preventive healthcare, and education.
Speaking in Calabar while receiving the Special Assistant to the President on Public Health, Mrs. Uju Rochas-Anwuka, the governor said policies in the state are deliberately designed to place citizens at the center of development, especially in areas critical to human capital growth.
He noted that his administration has prioritised nutrition and preventive healthcare as the foundation for long-term progress, citing a steady decline in infant morbidity and mortality since reforms began.
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Otu highlighted some interventions including fully paid maternity and paternity leave, support for parents, fortification of staple foods such as rice with vitamins, and plans to expand school feeding programmes.
The governor emphasised that preventive health remains more effective than tackling ailments after they occur and pledged sustained investment in nutrition, early childcare, and food security.
On her part, Mrs. Rochas-Anwuka described Nigeria’s malnutrition crisis as a national emergency, ranking the country first in Africa and second globally in child malnutrition. She noted that the crisis costs Nigeria over $1.5 billion annually in lost productivity and human capital.
She explained that the federal government has launched the Nutrition 774 Initiative, a five-phase strategic plan aimed at improving nutrition outcomes across all 774 local government areas. The initiative, she said, seeks to strengthen governance structures, ensure accountability, and guarantee sustainability, with state councils on nutrition expected to provide leadership and oversight.
The presidential aide commended the Cross River State Government for making budgetary provisions for nutrition, saying the step aligns with national priorities and will strengthen local systems.
