Delta State Governor has called for consistency in policy implementation in the country for Nigeria to make progress.

Speaking at a one-day policy dialogue with the state executive council and the legislative council on investment in nutrition at Asaba, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa observed that one of the greatest challenges facing the country was consistency in the implementation of policies.

He also stated that Nigerians would have access to good nutrition if the federal government makes policies in line with the population of the country.

“As a country, we will be planning wrongly if our plans do not go in line with our population, such plans will be problematic. For us to have healthy families, birth spacing is very important, we must keep the number of our families within the range we can cater for.”

Specifically speaking on the theme for the event, “Prioritising Investment in Maternal and Child Nutrition – Key to Sustainable Development,” Okowa observed that “a lot of persons are ignorant of what it takes to bring up a child that is a major problem we need to address.

“Issue of poverty can also be linked to the effects of recession, but, there is need for collaboration with the local government councils for effective advocacy aimed at addressing ignorance,” Okowa, who attended the event with his wife, Dame Edith, said.

He disclosed that the state government had done a lot to ensure a healthy people, noting that the state has more than 60 government hospitals and more than 400 primary healthcare centres located at different parts of the state.

Earlier in an address, the Commissioner for Economic Planning, Dr Kingsley Emu had said that “with inflation and scarcity of money, most families are increasingly finding it difficult to purchase basic necessities of livelihood – food, shelter, and clothing; the rest is poor nutrition, lack of care, ill-health and death.”

•Photo show, From right; Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa; his wife, Dame (Mrs.) Edith and Chief of Field Office (UNICEF) Port Harcourt, Wilbroad Ngambi, at A 1-Day Policy Dialogue with the State Executive and Legislative Council in Government House Asaba.

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