By Grace Onwukwe
As part of efforts to achieve a well-nourished Nigeria—ensuring access to adequate nutrition for healthy living and sustainable development under the IN-774 Initiative—the Ihiala Local Government Committee on Food and Nutrition has been inaugurated.
The inauguration, held on September 10, 2025, at the Ihiala LGA Headquarters, aimed at tackling malnutrition at the grassroots by promoting natural food sources, encouraging balanced diets, and preventing stunting, wasting among children, as well as anaemia in pregnant women.
Although the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mrs. Chiamaka Nnake (State Focal Person, Steering Committee on Food and Nutrition), the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Chinyere Nwabachili (Chairman, State Council of Food and Nutrition) were unavoidably absent, they were ably represented by the State Nutrition Officer, Dr. Rose Amasiani.
Members of the Inaugurated Committee include:
Hon. Chukwudozie Rowland, Deputy Mayor – Chairman; Mrs. Chinelo Aniagor – Secretary; Agha Benedette, Head, Local Government Administration; Ekweoba Fabian U., Head of Personnel; Dr. Nzewi Obiora, Director, Primary Health Care; Mrs. Enwerike Eucharia, Director of Finance; Mrs. Uzoamaka Okeakpu, HOD Agriculture; Mrs. Felicia Okani, Acting HOD Education/Social Welfare; and Mrs. Ijeoma Okeke, Education Secretary.
Others are Mr. Stanley Nkamene, Supervisor for Health; Mr. Chukwunalu Casmir, Supervisor for Agriculture; Mrs. Ejiofor Chiaza, Information Officer; Mr. Obinyele Chika, Admin Officer, PHC; and Mr. Ezeaka Justin, Supervisor for Education.
In her address, Dr. Amasiani emphasized that nutrition remains a key pillar in combating hunger and poverty in Nigeria. She explained that the structure of the committee, from the national to the local government level, was designed to strengthen grassroots interventions.
At the national level, Vice President Kashim Shettima chairs the National Committee on Food and Nutrition. At the state level, the Permanent Secretary of MBEP serves as Chairman, with the State Nutrition Officer as Secretary, while all relevant MDAs participate as members. At the local government level, the Mayor acts as Focal Person, the Deputy Mayor chairs the committee, and the LGA Nutrition Focal Person serves as Secretary.
Dr. Amasiani further urged the committee to expand membership to include philanthropists and other stakeholders. She tasked them with securing a dedicated budget line for nutrition, implementing interventions, creating a WhatsApp platform, and holding quarterly meetings with reports forwarded to the state for submission to the national level. Members of the State committee were also mandated to do same.
She stressed that the Governor’s Nutrition Scorecard is one of the benchmarks for assessing state performance at the national level. She acknowledged that Anambra State has historically ranked low but expressed optimism that the new LGA-level committees would drive significant improvement.
In his remarks, the Mayor of Ihiala LGA, Engr. Anayo Orjiakor, commended Governor Chukwuma Soludo for prioritizing nutrition and food security. He praised the inauguration and noted that local delicacies remain the best, given their nutritional and medicinal value. He pledged his full support for the committee’s activities, urging them to intensify grassroots sensitization.
The Head of Administration, Mrs. Agha Benedette, assured that the committee would perform optimally and appealed for adequate monitoring and evaluation to ensure sustainability.
Delivering a vote of thanks, Hon. Chukwudozie Rowland Okwunna, Chairman of the Committee and Deputy Mayor of Ihiala, expressed joy at the inauguration and pledged that no community would be left behind in the campaign for healthy living and in discouraging the consumption of harmful additives and preservatives.
Other members of the State Team present at the inauguration included: Ijeoma Okafor (Nutrition Desk Officer, Ministry of Education), Grace Onwukwe (Desk Officer, Ministry of Information), and Emilia Anisiobi (Desk Officer, Ministry of Agriculture).
Deputy Mayors from other LGAs who attended were: Hon. Paul Ifeme (Awka South), Hon. Ireka Nneka (Nnewi South), Hon. Ikedi Afamefuna (Ekwusigo), and Hon. Dr. Martina Nwawube (Anambra East).
Grace is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State
