The Kaduna State government has said it is targeting a 100 percent implementation of the 2021 Annual Operational Plan (AOP) of the state’s Multi-sectoral Strategic Plan of Action on Nutrition (KDMSPAN) 2020 – 2024.
Mr. Salisu Lawal, Director, Development Aid Coordination, Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), made the disclosure on Monday at the opening of a two-day validation meeting of the 2021 AOP in Kano State. The meeting was organised for relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Lawal who recalled that the 2021 AOP was developed in November 2020, described it as a tool for the implementation of the KDMSPAN.
He said that the outbreak of COVID-19 and the delay in the submission of proposals by Nutrition Desk Officers (NDOs) had affected the implementation of the 2020 planned activities.
The director, who said that some progress was recorded, commended the Kano State Committee on Food and Nutrition, the MDAs, development partners and relevant stakeholders for the support.
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“Considering the limited resources in the state, I, therefore, urge the NDOs to prioritise their 2021 activities with a view to ensuring 100 percent implementations.
“We should also pay attention to lessons learned in 2020 to improve in the delivery of our interventions in 2021,” he said.
The director explained that the validation meeting was organised by PBC with support from Save the Children International to review and finalise the cost of each MDAs activities.
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He added that the meeting was also organised to identify and prioritise activities for the first quarter and develop memos to facilitate timely submission, approval, releases, and cash backing of funds for implementation.
“At the end of the meeting, we will develop a road map for the AOP’s approval and implementation by all MDAs,” he added.
Mr. Isah Ibrahim, Nutrition Advocacy Advisor, Save the Children International, said that the AOP was very critical in achieving the goals and targets set in the KDMSPAN.
Ibrahim stressed the need for synergy among relevant MDAs and regular review of progress and challenges, with a view to making progress in nutrition programming in the state.
Also, Dr. Zainab Muhammad-Idris, Programme Manager, Accelerating Nutrition Result in Nigeria (ANRiN), described the validation meeting as timely, adding that it would help achieve set targets.
Muhammad-Idris said that the AOP if implemented, would significantly improve the nutrition indices and improve the nutrition wellbeing of women and children.
“However, we should plan only activities that we are sure we can deliver 100 percent and would change the nutrition narrative in the state,” she said.
Also, Mr. Umar Bambale, Project Manager, Kaduna State Emergency Nutrition Action Plan, thanked PBC and Save the Children and ANRiN for working tirelessly to improve the nutrition situation in the state.
Bambale said that the proposed memos that would be developed during the meeting would fast track the release and cash backing of allocated funds to implement activities.
