The Nutrition Society of Nigeria has raised alarm over  what it described as the  worrisome state of increase in hunger caused by food scarcity.

The association made the assertion, during its 54th Annual  Scientific Conference held in Kano saying,   due to increase in food scarcity , women and children in large number are now suffering indiscriminately from poverty and and malnutrition.

The national president of the association, professor Wasiu Afolabi ,  in a chat with journalists in Kano, as part of the NSN week long  annual activities , lamented  that the poor state of nutrition has had an adverse effect on  national economic growth, calling for actions to reverse the situation.

He stressed that  security challenges  in Nigeria  that are tied to  banditry, kidnapping are some of the key issues  that are responsible for  backward effect in food production that is been witnessed.

He explained that the security challenges in some  major parts of Nigeria were responsible for the barring  of farmers from staying on their farm to produce food, adding that this has contributed immensely to the decrease in food production , which  has led to adverse increase in cases of malnutrition.

He also decried the continous rise in inflation, citing this as one of the reason people can not have access to adequate food.

He further lamented that issues around climate change has also  culminated into rampant cases  flooding, desertification and other effects resulting  into the depreciating state of food production been recorded  over time in Nigeria.

The society said that cases of flooding in several parts of Nigeria has resulted in the washing away of  expanse of farm lands, which  has contributed  to inadequate food in the land.

He appealed to Nigerian  authorities at all strata to proceed  into  partnership with critical stakeholders with the goal  to embark  on massive food production programmes to address the issues bordering on inadequate food production .

He also urged that there is the urgent need for the development of new strategies in growing crops that will improve nutritional values.

According to him there is the need to develop tools for the creation of awareness on nutrition amongst the populace , noting that, if the citizen are well informed on how to combine food varieties to achieve nutritional balance the malfeasance challenges causing  malnutrition, hunger and poverty would be submerged.

In its continued bid to maximise the nation’s abundant gas resources for economic development and prosperity, NNPC Ltd. has begun discussions with investors towards bringing back two Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects, Brass and Olokola LNG projects.

NNPC Ltd.’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Mr. Umar Ajiya disclosed this on the sidelines of the ongoing 2024 Gas Technology Conference and Exhibition (Gastech), in Houston, United States, on Thursday.

Brass LNG and OK LNG are two LNG projects with the potential of manifold economic benefits for the country which include job creation, power generation, revenue generation and economic diversification. The multi-billion-dollar projects were however stalled due to unfavourable market dynamics and slow decision-making by the political class in the past.

“In the past, gas prices went down, the economics of the projects meant a high Capital Expenditure (CAPEX), and this was a dis-incentive for investors and partners. Also, there was slow decision-making by the political class,” the CFO added.

While describing NNPC Ltd. as a commercially driven Company which recognises timely project development and execution, the CFO said there are abundant gas resources in many parts of the world and therefore, the earlier Nigeria makes smart decisions to bring partners to the table, the better.

Ajiya commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support in driving new projects in the Industry through the Presidential Executive Orders on Oil & Gas Reforms.

“We are also happy to have the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 (PIA) which has provided fiscal incentives for investors and is creating the enabling environment that has rekindled hope in the energy sector.”

Ajiya described Gastech as an avenue for NNPC Ltd. to learn new technologies which will help the Company decarbonise its operations and promote its abundant LNG resources to the global market.

In a statement signed by Olufemi Soneye Chief Corporate communications officer of NNPCL said Gastech is the world’s leading forum dedicated to delivering a more sustainable energy future by bringing together experts who brainstorm to create pathways towards global energy security for lasting climate impact.

The Kano State Ministry for Public Procurement, Project Monitoring and Evaluation (MPPPM&E) has commended contractors for their progress on several key infrastructure projects across the state. During an inspection tour on Thursday, Honorable Commissioner Ibrahim Ali Namadi Dala visited seven major ongoing projects, as part of the ministry’s mandate to ensure accountability and quality in public works.

The commissioner’s tour included the dualization of the Government House-Daula Hotel Roundabout Lodge Road, which is 40% completed, and the full renovation of Nuhu Bamali Maternity Hospital, now completed. Other projects reviewed included the Sickle Cell Center at Murtala Muhammad General Hospital, which is 70% completed, and the Kiru Reformatory Center, which stands at 44% completion.

Additional projects inspected were the construction of female hostels at the School of Nursing in Madobi and the construction of two flyover and underpass bridges at Tal’udu and Dan Agundi intersections. These projects are part of the Kano State Government’s efforts to improve infrastructure, healthcare, and education across the state.

Speaking to journalists after the tour, Hon. Namadi Dala emphasized the ministry’s commitment to upholding high standards of efficiency, transparency, and fairness in project execution. He assured that ongoing monitoring is in place to prevent unethical practices and ensure that all projects meet the needs of the public. “This visit is part of our mechanism to prevent and detect unethical practices in project processes,” he said.

In a statement issued to newsmen by the public relations officer of the ministry Sageer Ado said while expressing satisfaction with the quality and pace of the work, the commissioner stated that the MPPPM&E will continue to oversee all projects to ensure they are completed to the highest standards. The ministry’s mission, he added, is to ensure openness, probity, and competitiveness in the procurement and execution of government projects.