From:Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
The Kaduna State Government has taken a significant step to strengthen accountability and ensure the effective delivery of life-saving nutrition commodities to vulnerable populations, especially women and children.
In a bid to address concerns about the diversion of essential nutrition supplies, the government has inaugurated a 17-member task force to track and prevent the misuse.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Commissioner of the Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), Mukhtar Ahmed Monrovia, emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in the management of nutrition commodities.
“We have observed gaps suggesting that some of these commodities are not getting to the last mile,” Monrovia said, adding that the task force would strengthen tracking systems, ensure timely and accurate reporting, and monitor the distribution and use of nutrition commodities across the state.
The Chairman of the Committee and Permanent Secretary in PBC, Mukhtar Abdullahi, reinforced the initiative’s accountability focus, stating that the task force was established in response to persistent complaints about the diversion of both aid and nutrition commodities.
“We have reason to believe that these commodities are not reaching the last mile; the people they are meant for,” Abdullahi said, emphasizing the need to safeguard the commodities, largely targeted at children and women.
The Nutrition Specialist at UNICEF, Chinwe Ezeife, commended the state government for taking decisive action to address the issue, describing the task force as a critical step toward strengthening transparency and accountability in the management of public health commodities.
“Misuse, diversion, and inefficient management must be avoided. These commodities are meant to improve nutritional outcomes and save lives, especially among vulnerable populations,” Ezeife said.
The taskforce comprises representatives from key ministries, departments, and agencies, alongside development partners, academia, and civil society groups, and is expected to provide coordinated, multi-sectoral oversight to improve monitoring systems and ensure that nutrition interventions deliver measurable impact.
