The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has commended Governor Peter Mbah for his administration’s significant investment in improving the nutrition, health and wellbeing of women and children, describing Enugu as one of the first states in Nigeria to invest in multiple micronutrients.

The commendation was made by the UNICEF Country Representative, Nigeria, Wafaa Saeed, during the formal handover of nutrition commodities under the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) to the Enugu State Government on Tuesday.

The commodities, which were procured through a matching fund arrangement between UNICEF and the Mbah Administration, include Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements (SQ-LNS), Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), aimed at combating malnutrition among children and pregnant women.

Represented by the Chief of Nutrition Section, Nemat Hajeebhoy, Saeed praised the Mbah Administration for its proactive approach, noting that Enugu had distinguished itself as a model for other states.

“UNICEF commends Enugu State’s leadership and contribution to the Child Nutrition Fund, positioning the state as a model. Enugu is one of the first states to procure MMS and among the few prioritising prevention through SQ-LNS,” she said.

She, however, expressed concern over the rising burden of malnutrition in Nigeria, describing it as a major public health challenge, urging stakeholders to ensure that the commodities were efficiently distributed to underserved communities.

Saeed also stressed the need for robust monitoring systems, community sensitisation, and accountability frameworks to guarantee that the supplies reach the intended beneficiaries.

In her opening remarks, the Executive Secretary of the Enugu State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Ifeyinwa Ani-Osheku, described the event as a historic milestone in the state’s fight against malnutrition.

She said the handover represented not just the transfer of commodities but “the transfer of potential,” noting that the supplies included 854 cartons of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food for treating severe acute malnutrition and 2,088 cartons of Small-Quantity Lipid-Based Nutrient Supplements designed to support children during critical stages of growth and brain development.

Ani-Osheku further noted that Enugu had become the only state in the federation to co-finance the procurement of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements through the CNF, directly addressing the high rate of anaemia among pregnant women, while stressing that the intervention aligns with the state’s broader human capital development strategy.

Also speaking, the Deputy Chairman of ALGON in the state and Chairman of Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, Barr. Ferdinand Ukwueze, commended the governor for prioritising child survival and wellbeing.

He assured that local government authorities would ensure effective last-mile distribution of the commodities, stressing that beneficiaries across communities would receive and utilise the supplies promptly.

On his part, a traditional ruler, Igwe Innocent Ogbodo of Ndiagu Akpugo, in Nkanu West LGA of the state, lauded the administration’s focus on healthcare and education, while calling for improved commitment from health workers to maximise the impact of the intervention.

The Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Hon Ngozi Enih, described the initiative as a demonstration of strong political will, noting that the prompt release of counterpart funding by the state government had strengthened its partnership with UNICEF.

She said the intervention would significantly enhance efforts to prevent and manage malnutrition among vulnerable populations, assuring that mechanisms had been put in place to ensure transparency and effective distribution.

Similarly, the Commissioner for Human Capital Development and Poverty Eradication, Prof Benedette Okolie, noted that the programme underscored the importance of nutrition in building a productive society, adding that sustained collaboration among stakeholders remained critical to achieving long-term impact.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof George Ugwu, also commended Governor Mbah for what he described as massive and deliberate investment in children’s healthcare, particularly in tackling malnutrition, assuring that the ministry would deploy effective tracking mechanisms to ensure the commodities are distributed equitably across rural and hard-to-reach communities.

In his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Donor Relations, Hon Dubem Onyia Jnr, appreciated UNICEF for its continued support, describing the partnership as vital to advancing development outcomes and improving child welfare in the state.

Responding, Governor Mbah, who was represented by the deputy, Barr Ifeanyi Ossai, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with UNICEF and other development partners.

He said the government had established nutrition desk officers across the 17 local government areas to drive grassroots implementation and ensure effective tracking of pregnant women and children.

Mbah added that the state’s Smart Schools feeding programme, which would provide at least one nutritious meal, daily in the over 260 Smart Schools across 260 political wards, was designed to complement ongoing nutrition interventions and tackle malnutrition holistically.

While commending UNICEF’s support, the governor called for sustained partnership to ensure the long-term success of the feeding programme, noting that it required substantial financial investment.