The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has taken the campaign about child welfare funding to the legislative arm of government in Bauchi State, raising an alarm about the rate of children on the verge of dying.

The Chief of the Bauchi Field Office, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, while speaking during an advocacy meeting organized by the House Committee on Food and Nutrition and the Ministry of Budget on Wednesday, said that the malnutrition situation in Bauchi State called for urgent action, as many children needed to be rescued.

Data showed that the state has the highest burden of severe acute malnutrition, which has worsened the rate of children with stunting and wasting. However, the commitment from the government seems to be elusive since it is yet to release funds for the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF).

UNICEF’s boss said, “I would like to share with you the CNF – the Child Nutrition Fund. Globally, it’s such a major issue that these women have collected together to make a Child Nutrition Fund. It has ever since been practiced in many countries. Nigeria will be one of those countries.

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“If you put 100 million, is it magic? You will have 200 million. We work on all the conventions, rules, and super-conventions of the children. To have such a society, such a community, there is no time to go into malnutrition. So there is prevention, there is a cure, and the children who are already affected so much by malnutrition can be rehabilitated. So this is very sensitive and very important. And I would like you people (lawmakers) to feel from the heart.”

Meanwhile, the legislators, while speaking, declared their commitment to supporting the nutrition challenge of the state, pledging to probe previous funds meant for child nutrition.

Speaking on behalf of the House of Assembly, the Speaker, Abubakar Suleiman, ordered the House Committees on Food and Nutrition, Budget and Appropriation, and Health to map out a plan to improve the budget line for nutrition in the state.

Abubakar also ordered the formulation of a joint committee that will comprise the Ministry of Local Government, the 20 council chairmen, and the House Committee on Local Government for effective monitoring of the nutrition situation in Bauchi.