BY JUDE OSSAI / ENUGU
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Deputy Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Ezenta Ezeani, has assured that the state assembly is open to collaboration with the
Civil Society-Scaling UP Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) on promotion of an exclusive breastfeeding, improved nutrition and 6-month maternity leave to women in public service in the state.
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Ezeani who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, commended the CS-SUNN officials who paid him advocacy visit, promised to assist the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in anyway they could as legislators.
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According to him, “We will ensure that malnutrition is rooted out, if not minimised in the state.
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“Once it is in line with the pursuit of well-being of humanity, we shall support it. Whatever we can do to achieve the success of promoting nutrition in the state, we shall do.
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“I thank you for coming. You are helping our generation and the generation to come. We are committed to ensuring that we have a healthy society through adequate nutrition.”
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The lawmaker and his colleagues, however, took time to x-ray the merits and demerits in the 6-months meternity leave and exclusive breast-feeding, concluding that there should be aggressive enlightenment on the project for more women to embrace it.
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Earlier, the Programme Manager of CS-SUNN, Dr. Goodness Anyanwu appealed to the state assembly to partner with them in ensuring the promotion of nutrition in the state.
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Anyanwu who used the opportunity to explain the objectives of the NGO and the need of extending the nutrition advocacy to the Assembly, also urged the lawmakers to support legislation that would ensure that working class nursing mothers get six months maternity leave for adequate care and well being of their babies.
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She further urged them to go to their respective constituencies to sensitise the people on the need for exclusive breast feeding for healthy children and a healthy society.
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“We want to beg you to use your good office to see how we can promote nutrition in Enugu State and to also support the legislation for six months maternity leave.
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“You can take the advocacy to your respective constituencies, sensitising women on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding so that women will key into it,” she said and equally urged the legislators to ensure that the state increased the counterfunding for child nutrition fund.
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To ensure that exclusive breastfeeding takes place in the state, Anyanwu called on the house members to advocate that nutrition departments are created in the ministries as well as create Creches in ministries and departments where working mothers can conveniently breastfeed their babies.
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She also implored that Committee for Food and Nutrition should be created in the local governments across the state so that nutrition matters can be internalised.
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The visitors were later led to the office of the Speaker of the state assembly, Hon Uche Ugwu where he was briefed by his deputy on the discussion that took place.
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