By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
The Niger state government has pledged to partner with the Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), and other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) ready to key into developmental strides of the Governor Umaru Bago led administration.
The new leadership of CS-SUNN in Niger state have been told to liaise with their national headquarters in Abuja for documentations on past advocacies and other achievements in the state in the past eight years.
State Commissioner of Information and Orientation, Mr. Obed Nuhu Nana, and the Permanent Secretary of the state Planning Commission, Hajiya Aisha Tanimu Usman made the declaration in their separate remarks when they received members of CS-SUNN, Niger state chapter in their offices.
The Commissioner, represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Baba Alhaji assured the new state Coordinator of CS-SUNN, Aisha Wakaso, who led other members of the group on an advocacy visit that the Bago led administration committed to providing strategic publicity and communication support for the implementation of programme of achievements, including the newly approved 6 months, fully salary maternity leave policy for nursing mothers.
The Commissioner however told his guests that, while the enforcement and operational aspects of the policy fall under the appropriate implementing authorities, the ministry’s role remains to ensure that clear, accurate, and timely information is effectively communicated to citizens.
Also at the state Planning Commission, Hajiya Usman told the newly inaugurated CS-SSUN leadership who were in her office to formally introduce themselves that they should refer to their headquarters for any clarifications regarding past advocacies or any other issue that has to do with activities of the group in the state.
Aisha Wakaso had earlier appealed to the Ministry to leverage its platforms to raise public awareness on policy initiatives of CS-SUNN and other far-reaching benefits of advocacies for maternal and child health.
She pleaded for more awareness, using the state government owned media organizations, and the messages captured in local languages targeted audience understands most. NNL.
