Worried by the poor feeding habit among Nigerian children leading to malnutrition, the Women in Dairy Production Association (WIDPA)
has appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to redouble his administration’s effort with the Renewed Hope Agenda to provide balanced diets for children across Nigerian schools.
Chairman, Board of Directors, WIDPA, Olusola Olakojo, made the appeal during the official launch of DIARY4KIDS Project and activities to celebrate the 2024 Children’s Day in Lagos on Monday.
Speaking at the event, themed, “Milk and Dairy Products: An Integral Part in Child’s Health and Development, Olakojo told Tinubu, “From Lagos, the Centre of Excellence to Kano, the Centre of Commerce, to the Confluence Town of Kogi and to Kebbi, the Land of Equity, the feeding of our children in various schools, churches, mosques, orphanage and motherless babies’ homes and IDP camps is a task that must be done.”
Saying that WIDPA is “dedicated to bridging the gap in milk availability, supporting families and empowering communities” Olakojo added that “A state or a nation that cannot provide for her children and nurture them has no future,” Olakojo as WIDPA, therefore, envisions a community, a state and a nation where every child can grow strong, healthy and confident with a brighter future ahead.”
Saying that the journey requires collective efforts, compassion and dedication, while inviting all to join in the noble course, Olakojo added: “Together, let us make a difference in the lives of our children.
“Let the pastors, imams, obis in Igbo land join us; let the obas across Yoruba land join us; let all our emirs in the North join us. Our doors are open to welcome our distinguished Senators in the Red Chambers in Abuja.”
Olakojo said that as a nation, “investment in infrastructure is necessary but the only investment that can guarantee us a greater and brighter future is the one we put into the lives of our children.
“Provision of nutritious food and diet in our schools across Nigeria is a right step in the right direction.”
“We are not unaware of some individuals who have mismanaged the various resources allocated to this project, particularly at the federal level, but as a nation, we cannot let the action of a few corrupt elements to deter us from providing the best for our children.”
Dr. Anita Nana Okuribido, Founder and National Coordinator for Agro-Women Synergy International and President of Women in Renewable Entergy Association of Nigeria, said that Nigerians must make it a priority to give their children milk and dairy products so that they can grow and become smart children, as well as excel in their academics.
Okuribido urged the government to revise and review the policy framework to make it friendly with children’s nutrition.
“When we make the policy framework, it should include in the priority dairy products to the nutrition of our children in homes, hospitals, IDP camps, schools, orphanage homes. We must make it a priority to give our children dairy products to make them excel in their education. We want the children as our future generation to be well-fed with good nutrition so that they can lead us aright.”
She lamented that since most parents do not prioritise it in their budgets, “WIDPA has decided to return our parents’ memory and priority to dairy products for our children because this is what they need.”
Okuribido, who lamented that women like ostentatuous way of life to the detriment of their children’s meals, advised them to make their children’s meals their priority in their budgets.
“Women need to feed their children well with good food. They must go back to the traditional way of feeding the children well with nutritious foods such as beans, yams, vegetables, plantain, among other good foods,” she stated.
The keynote speaker and Technical Director, WIDPA/DAIRY4KIDS, Dr. Ifelayo Peter Ojo, commended WIDPA’s initiative to provide good nutrition to Nigerian children by making milk and dairy products available for them.
“It is a laudable one and I am grateful to be a part of making this nutrition available to our children in certain parts of the country, and giving them access to good nutrition by making milk available in schools, IDP camps, motherless babies’ homes and hospitals,” he added.
President/Founder, DAIRY4KIDS PROJECT, Rachael Eyitayo Ariori, said that the theme of the programme was apt as a Children’s Day’s event, considering the fact that children are the worst hit by malnutrition in the country.
She advised the government to help WIDPA with the provision of funds so that they can produce more milk and give it to off-taker companies.
“With this, hunger can be reduced because if a child is filled with milk, the hunger will be reduced,” she said.
Ariori said that the programme was organised to mark the Children’s Day, adding: “Because of the importance of the children, DIARY4KIDS decided to support Nigerian children who deserve more. It is their right to have access to good nutrition, good milk and good bones’ development.
“That is why we are launching this today to make the government know that we mean business and that Nigerian children mean so much to us.
“If their bones are strong, we won’t have many of them with bone defects in the hospitals. It is a synergy and it has a multiplier effect.”
She listed some of the challenges facing Nigerian children to include malnutrition, adding: “Some of the children in hospitals, schools, IDP camps, motherless babies’ homes do not have access to good water and good medical care.
Ariori, who advised the government to begin national feeding agenda using dairy milk, added: “If you do it two or three times a week, it will reduce their sicknesses and attacks because their immune system will be built up as they are getting what their system needs.”
