The Kaduna State Government has inaugurated a 17-member taskforce to track and prevent the diversion of nutrition commodities across the State.
The Government said that the decision is aimed at strengthening accountability and ensuring that life-saving supplies reach vulnerable populations, particularly women and children in dire need.
Speaking at the inauguration on Wednesday, Commissioner, Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), Mukhtar Ahmed Monrovia, said the initiative was prompted by growing concerns that essential nutrition supplies were not getting to intended beneficiaries.
He explained that despite huge investments by government and development partners in the provision of nutrition commodities, the expected impact has been undermined by gaps in transparency and monitoring.
According to him, the effectiveness of such interventions depends largely on accountability, proper utilisation of resources and efficient tracking systems.
Monrovia said observations from the field indicated that some of the commodities were not reaching the last mile, a development he described as unacceptable.
He explained that the newly inaugurated taskforce has a clear mandate to strengthen tracking systems, ensure timely and accurate reporting, and monitor distribution channels across the state.
The commissioner added that members of the committee were carefully selected based on competence and integrity, urging them to discharge their duties with diligence.
He stressed that the assignment was critical to improving service delivery, restoring public trust and achieving better nutrition outcomes in the state.
Chairman of the Committee and Permanent Secretary in PBC, Mukhtar Abdullahi, said the taskforce was set up in response to persistent complaints about diversion of aid and nutrition commodities.
He said the committee would monitor, track and ensure proper utilisation of supplies meant for children and women, who are the most vulnerable groups.
Also speaking, Nutrition Specialist with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Chinwe Ezeife, commended the state government for taking decisive steps to address the challenge, assuring of continued technical support to strengthen accountability and effective implementation.