Enugu State and UNICEF Unite to Strengthen Grassroots Nutrition Governance Through LGCFN Capacity Building

Enugu State and UNICEF are strengthening grassroots nutrition governance through a capacity-building initiative aimed at institutionalising local coordination, improving domestic resource mobilisation and promoting accountable nutrition financing across state and local government structures. Beyond the training itself, the initiative seeks to position Local Government Committees for Food and Nutrition (LGCFNs) as effective platforms for coordinating nutrition priorities, strengthening local ownership and ensuring that government plans and budgetary commitments translate into services for mothers and children.

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As Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and Chairman of the State Committee on Food and Nutrition (SCFN), Mrs. Clara Nwakaego Eze represented the Honourable Commissioner Barr. Chris Robert Ozongwu to deliver the welcome address and opening remarks on behalf of the Honourable Commissioner. She commended the unwavering support of His Excellency, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, emphasizing that a healthy, well-nourished population remains an absolute pillar for improved educational outcomes and economic productivity. She noted that the progressive strengthening of nutrition governance across the Local Government Areas of Enugu State demonstrates a collective resolve to ensure that food and nutrition initiatives directly reach the citizens who need them most.

The broader policy significance of the initiative was underscored by Dr. Lekan Adedun who delivered a goodwill message on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP). He commended the Enugu State government and UNICEF for strengthening multisectoral responses to malnutrition at the grassroots, emphasising that sustainable national development requires government interventions to produce tangible benefits for households. UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Mrs. Ngozi Onuora, also highlighted the importance of partnerships backed by the Latter-day Saints Charities (LDSC) in protecting the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, with attention to climate-smart and gender-responsive approaches.

A crucial component of the workshop centered on the relationship between public finance and nutrition service delivery, and was addressed by Dr. David Okelue Ugwunta, former Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Enugu State, and now UNICEF’s Independent Consultant on Public Finance for Children. He emphasized the urgent need to integrate nutrition priorities into Local Government budgets through proper planning, costing, funding and the timely release of resources. Referencing Enugu State’s Third Quarter 2026 Budget Implementation Report, he highlighted existing gaps in expenditure on identified nutrition-related projects, stressing that budgetary allocations must translate into actual service delivery on the ground. He urged Local Government Committees for Food and Nutrition to strengthen collaboration, incorporate nutrition interventions into annual operational plans, monitor implementation, and report progress, while reinforcing that government ownership and domestic resource mobilization are essential to sustaining programs beyond development partner support.

The workshop also clarified the respective roles of institutions within the local nutrition governance framework. Sectoral Departments retain responsibility for delivering interventions within their respective mandates, while LGCFNs provide the coordination platform for bringing these actors together around shared nutrition priorities. Local government chairpersons are positioned to connect, convene, and champion nutrition governance and funding, ensuring that committees operate as formally constituted government structures rather than ad-hoc partner-supported platforms.

This coordination directly feeds into a structured annual planning and accountability cycle in which committees assess local nutrition needs, prioritise interventions, cost activities, seize financing opportunities within the annual budget, support implementation, track progress and review results. Through sustained engagement with sectoral departments and local government leadership, the committees can help bridge the gap between state-level policy commitments and the delivery of nutrition services at the community level.

Discussions also addressed the structural constraints that continue to affect nutrition financing and implementation. These include inadequate budgetary provisions, delayed releases of approved funds and gaps in coordination across relevant MDAs and local government structures. Participants also highlighted the need for supportive policies that promote maternal and infant well-being, including ongoing advocacy for extended paid maternity and paternity leave provisions. These measures were discussed as part of the broader enabling environment for improved maternal, infant and young-child nutrition.

The State Nutrition Officer, Mrs. Loveth Onwuzulike, outlined the technical objectives of the workshop, focusing on practical skills for multisectoral coordination and a broader understanding of food security around availability, access, utilisation and stability. She also highlighted systemic challenges, including resource constraints and healthcare workers’ attitudes towards nutrition service delivery, underscoring the need for improved institutional capacity, coordination and service standards.

Ultimately, the success of the initiative will be measured not by the number of participants trained, but by the extent to which local nutrition committees become functional, government-led structures capable of influencing plans, mobilising domestic resources, monitoring implementation and demanding accountability. By strengthening institutional coordination at state and local government levels, Enugu State and UNICEF are seeking to build a more sustainable framework for nutrition governance, one in which public commitments translate into adequately financed interventions and improved outcomes for mothers and children.