CS-SUNN urges Sokoto Gov’t to release N500m Child Nutrition Fund, adopt 6-month maternity leave
CS-SUNN urges Sokoto Gov’t to release N500m Child Nutrition Fund, adopt 6-month maternity leave
Form Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto
The Civil Society Scale-Up Nutrition in Nigeria, CS-SUNN, has appealed to the Sokoto State Government to release the N500 million Child Nutrition Fund pledged for UNICEF and to adopt a six-month paid maternity leave policy to tackle malnutrition and anemia in the state.
The appeal was made on Tuesday during an advocacy visit to the Sokoto State Head of Service, Alhaji Abdulkadir Ahmed Mohammed, by a CS-SUNN delegation led by Alhaji Shuaibu Musa Kafin-Gana, Team Lead, Partnership and Collaboration.
Kafin-Gana said the visit was part of efforts to engage key government stakeholders on nutrition issues in the state.
He noted that Sokoto had recorded significant progress in reducing stunting among children under five.
Citing the 2018 NDHS survey, he said Sokoto had a 54 per cent stunting rate among an estimated 1 million children under five.
“But due to several engagements with stakeholders, another NDHS conducted between 2023-2024 now places Sokoto at 42.8 per cent.
“That is a commendable milestone in five years,” he said.
He however, expressed concern over rising cases of anemia among pregnant and lactating mothers, and children under five.
“That is why the issue of the Child Nutrition Fund is critical.
” The fund is a counter-part funding to UNICEF for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food, RUTF, given to children under five with severe acute malnutrition,” he explained.
Kafin-Gana recalled that Sokoto released N100 million in 2014 while in 2025, Gov. Ahmed Aliyu promised to increase it to N500 million, but the money is yet to be released.
“Through our engagement with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning yesterday, we understood that lack of follow-up was the reason. If released, UNICEF will match it, making N1 billion worth of RUTF available for Sokoto,” he said.
On maternity leave, he urged the state to extend paid maternity leave from 3 to 6 months to enable exclusive breastfeeding.
“Kaduna has already adopted it as In Northern Nigeria, most states have.doneny that.
He added,” If mothers are given time and crèche facilities in government offices, it will reduce malnutrition and anemia.”
Also speaking, Alhaji Rabiu Bello Gandi, an Ex-officio of CS-SUNN, supported the call and urged government to prioritize nutrition in the 2027 budget.
Responding, the Head of Service, Alhaji Abdulkadir Ahmed Mohammed, assured the delegation that the office would look into the requests.
He asked for details on states that have adopted six-month maternity leave and promised to push the issue forward, However disclosing that the nursing mothers in the state currently enjoy a four-month fully paid maternity leave.
The HOS also harped on the need to include nursing mothers in educational institutions, especially students so that they can have adequate time to rest and breast feed their new born babies.
The CS-SUNN team had on Monday visited the Ministries of Environment and Budget and Economic Planning as well as the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto.
On Tuesday, they also visited the Sokoto State House of Assembly.
