Nation
UNICEF Trains 50 Community Volunteers On Infant, Young Child Feeding
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has trained 50 Community Volunteers (CVs) on Community Infant and Young Child Feeding (C-IYCF) in Ikara Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Assistant State Nutrition Officer, Mr Adams George, explained at the beginning of the three-day training in Ikara yesterday, that the effort was to strengthen IYCF practices at community level.
George said that the volunteers comprised 45 CVs and five Ward Development Community (WDCs) Chairmen to promote adequate IYCF practices at community levels as an effective strategy of preventing malnutrition.
He explained that after equipping the volunteers with relevant skills, the CVs would be expected to establish 45 support groups, one by each of the CVs in their various communities.
“The support groups will have a maximum of 12 members, as such, each CV is expected to establish a maximum of three support groups once the members exceed 12 for effective management.
“Through support groups, the CVs will educate and enlighten mothers and caregivers on optimal IYCF practices for a strong growth and healthy development of infants and young children,” George said.
Nutrition Specialist, UNICEF Kaduna, Mrs Chinwe Ezeife, told The Tide source that the C-IYFC was a proven preventive measure against malnutrition using locally available food items.
Ezeife said that IYCF comprises early initiation of breastfeeding, exclusive breastfeeding for six months and appropriate complementary feeding after six months.
She said that UNICEF, in collaboration with the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Board was currently supporting the implementation of the C-IYCF programme in 17 local government areas of the state.
She added that mats would be distributed to the CVs after the training for use during support group’s meetings for convenience and comfort.
“This is in line with the tradition and cultural ways of convergence in communities to discuss issues, particularly IYCF practices and other social development and livelihood issues that affect them.
“This is a community-centred approach where members of the communities take the lead in sensitizing and mobilizing fellow community members on optimal IYCF practices,” she said.
One of the facilitators, Mrs Chinyere Ekwueme, said that the C-IYCF support group model was effective in reaching rural populations and improving IYCF practices.
Ekwueme said that the strategy would promote community ownership and sustainability of the programme in the fight against malnutrition.
Ward Development Committee Chairman, Sayasaya Ward, Malam Abdullahi Alhassan, thanked UNICEF and the Kaduna state government for mobilising them to promote IYCF practices in their communities.
Alhassan said that the training would equip them with the needed skills to sensitise their community members, particularly the men, mothers, and caregivers on adequate feeding of children.
”Many husbands in my community are abled youths. We will mobilise and sensitise them on the need to support their wives to optimally breastfeed their babies and provide adequate nutritious meals for the family,” he said.
One of the volunteers, Mrs Hauwa Sain, said that she volunteered for the self-help programme to promote adequate infant and young child feeding in her community using local food items.
According to her, the step will ensure healthy growth and development of children to their full potential and in the long run contribute to the development of their communities.
Nation
Council Boss Impeached 48 Hours To LG Polls In Katsina
The Chairman of Malumfashi Local Government Council of Katsina State, Maharazu Dayi, has been impeached.
Maharazu Dayi was impeached yesterday by 11 out of 12 councillors, barely two days before the local government elections in the State.
The councillors reportedly took action following allegations of misconduct and poor governance against the chairman after a dispute over the distribution of the council’s Paris Club funds.
The development has sent shock waves across the local government area, especially as the impeached chairman is among those who failed to secure the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to contest in the forthcoming election.
Nation
Association Tasks Fubara On Rumuwoji Market Phase Three
The Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association, Mile 1, Port Harcourt, has urged the state government to utilise the available spaces within the area to build phase 3 of the Rumuwoji Market in order to solve the ever increasing needs of traders.
The association, which said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt, also described as a welcomed development the decision by the state Governor to open the phase 2 of the market for business.
According to the association, “We consider it as an answer to the various cries of the people, because he is a man on a mission who is out to place the interest of Rivers people first. It is a dream come true for the first time for the market to be dully allocated and open for business”
Chairman of the association, Hon Godspower Wobo, who briefed the press shortly after a meeting of the association in Port Harcourt, also urged the public to disregard the activities of some persons whose stock in trade is to cause disaffection in the market.
He said the attention of the association was drawn to the activities of some strange fellows who went about misforming the people about situation in the market, stressing that apart from his association, no other group exists in the market except subdiary unions.
Wobo also tasked the reallocation committee to tread with caution so as to avoid being deceived by any group.
According to him, time has come for the state government to engage in robust discussion with aggrieved shop owners who went to court and those who paid monies to the state coffers and issued with allocation certificates for the overall interest of peace.
He also advised the public to deal directly with his association, stressing that the meeting was to review activities for the last year as well as unveil their new Constitution.
Also speaking, former Chairman of the association, Deacon Kenneth Eze urged the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to open the phase 2 of the market, as it is long overdue.
Eze who is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the association also urged the public to do business with only the Rumuwoji Ultra Modern Market Traders Association as it is the only union recognised by the traders.
Nation
AfDB President Denies 2027 Presidential Ambition
The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has debunked reports linking him with the race for Nigeria’s presidency in 2027.
Reacting to the report on his X handle yesterday, following a recent interview with Arise TV, the AfDB boss said his quotes were misrepresented and misinterpreted in several Nigerian media reports.
However, the AfDB president denied the media reports, stating that he never said that he wanted to contest for President.
“A segment of my recent interview on @Arise TV has been both misinterpreted and misrepresented in several Nigerian media outlets. What I said was, “I will be available to serve in any capacity, globally, in Africa, anywhere, including my own country.”
“A listen to the substantive and robust interview, which is available online, will show this to be the case. For clarity and for the record, I did not say that I am running for the office of President of Nigeria,” Adesina said.
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