CS-SUNN Hails Enugu’s Investment In Nutrition

The Civil Society Scaling Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), has commended Enugu State Government for investing over N1Billion in the home grown school feeding in the Smart Green Schools across the state.

The group has also advocated six months maternity leave for nursing mothers in public service to enable them have enough time to breastfeed their babies exclusively, lamenting that, in Enugu state “36.6% infants are not exclusively breasted, while 15.2% of children under five were stunted,”.

CS-SUNN Enugu state Coordinator, Finian Ali, gave the commendation when he led CS-SUNN’s delegation on a thank you and advocacy visits to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Uche Ugwu, at the Assembly complex, as well as to the Enugu State Head of Service, Dr.Godwin  Anigbo, in his office.

He said unlike past years when they started in Enugu state, budgetary performance in nutrition was very poor (10%) but the state government under the leadership of the Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah increased it to over 400%.

He thanked the state government for the unprecedented gesture and members of the Assembly for their support.  He assured continuous partnership between the CS-SUNN and Enugu state government.

Ali confirmed that out of the two requests they made during their first advocacy visit to the House of Assembly, one, (scaling up nutrition) has been achieved.

He said ,”it is not only approved . The money is huge, the money is there. UNICEF is with the money. A lot of lives of children will be saved. That shows how committed the state is.”‘“

The State coordinator disclosed that the push for approval for six months paid  maternity leave for nursing mothers and two weeks paternity leave for  nursing fathers is very important, emphasising that, “Nutrition is the foundation of Enugu ‘s economic future”. He urged the state government to implement it across all public sector and expand baby-friendly  hospital initiatives.

In a remark, Lead partnership and Collaboration, Ebere Okey- Onyeama , said CS-SUNN is an alliance of 400 members. She expressed joy that Enugu state government partners CS-SUNN in  the  program. She stressed that ” we cannot achieve the goals of stamping out malnutrition without ensuring that  nursing mothers will be able to have time for their babies. That’s why we push for six months maternity leave for nursing mothers”, she said.

For his part, the Program manager, CS- SUNN, Ridwan Awosanya, thanked Enugu state government for the  progress made so far and the ones to be made . He appealed to the state government to approve the six months maternity leave for working nursing  mothers as well as establish creches in public offices to enable mother to be closer to their babies for adequate breastfeeding of the babies .

Responding, the Speaker, Enugu Assembly, Uche Ugwu thanked the team for the visit and assured continuous partnership with CS- SUNN.

His words,” we will continue working together.At least, we have seen what the government has done”.

Similarly, at the office of the Head of Service, CS-SUNN team thanked the Head of Service , Dr. Godwin Anigbo, for his support to the organisation and for investment the State Government made in nutrition.. They advocated six months  paid maternity leave for nursing mothers and two weeks paternity leave for nursing fathers to promote breastfeeding.

Responding, the Head of Service, Dr. Anigbo thanked CS-SUNN team  for the visit and their efforts in upscaling nutrition  in the state . He said the state government has done a lot in nutrition.

“We have made homongous investments in nutrition. Government has concluded plans to  run school Feeding  program in the 260 Smart schools in the 260 Political wards in the state including  additional Smart schools in the urban areas..”Government will be spending Billions”, he said .

On request to extend maternity leave with pay, the Head of Service said, “For the maternity leave , be rest assured that we are on it . Government will make a pronouncement..”

On the request for establishing of creches in public offices, he told the delegation that  the state government has a creche at the state secretariat,Enugu, established to help nursing mothers to be closer to their Babies.

He advocated intensified campaign on breastfeeding at the church , traditional institutions, media and other public places for people to be enlightened, especially young mothers and fathers who have the wrong mentality that breastfeeding  makes mothers to go out of shape .

Dr. Anigbo also called for behavioural change, saying, “we need to have  value re- orientation, attitudinal change so that they will see that all nutritional things are seen in breast milk. So that young fathers will see that breastfeeding is for the good of the of the family.”