Former Deputy Governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere, has challenged the federal government and governors across the country over the frightening statistics of 12 million malnourished children in the country.
Prince Madumere emphasised that these staggering statistics call for urgent and decisive proactive action to reduce the mortality rate and level of stunted growth among children.
Prince Madumere made this known while addressing newsmen in Owerri, the capital of Imo State.
The Imo State governorship aspirant encouraged the government to establish a mechanism for adequate budgetary provisions capable of meeting children’s nutritional needs.
According to an American-trained technocrat and business administrator, children represent the future of the nation and serve as catalysts for political development, growth, and sustainability.
He said, “We must have a road map to navigate through the future. Our children represent the future of the nation. Adequate provisions must be made for their growth and sustainability. The time to provide for their needs is now.”
The Imo governorship hopeful stressed that the master plan and blueprint encapsulated in the “Journey of Grace” to turn around the state economically, fine-tune the business environment, create wealth, revive moribund establishments, build viable industries, and empower the citizenry for creativity have been marshalled and will soon be unveiled.
Prince Madumere, a political strategist, submitted, ” The Journey of Grace is a Divine Mandate. Imo deserves the best in terms of service delivery, economic stability, viability, and visibility. We must increase our speed in terms of development in rural communities. Development must be even and all-encompassing.
We assure the people that our words must surely be our bounds in this journey to the promised land flowing with milk and honey. ”
Prince Madumere, an entrepreneur of note, highlighted that the welfare and needs of the children would be made a priority if given the mantle to govern the state, come 2027.
Prince Madumere called on the leadership to rise and address the alarm raised by UNICEF over Nigeria’s worsening child nutrition crisis, revealing that a staggering 32 per cent of children under the age of five are malnourished.
This is even as they revealed that the statistics call for urgent need for immediate, coordinated action to address the deep-rooted issues of poverty, food insecurity, and inadequate healthcare plaguing the country.
“With millions of young lives at risk of stunted growth, developmental delays, and preventable deaths, UNICEF warns that failure to act swiftly could spell a generational catastrophe.”
Prince Madumere highlighted that UNICEF’s revelation that over 12 million Nigerian children are stunted translates into their growth and brain development being severely affected by chronic undernutrition.
He explained that stunted children are less likely to succeed in school, and the damage is often irreversible.
The business mogul called on organisations, the government at all levels, development partners, and communities to prioritise child nutrition before the crisis spirals out of control.
Prince Madumere expressed astonishment over the revelation that Nigeria carries the world’s second highest burden of child stunting, with 32 percent of under-five children suffering from the condition, which hampers both their physical growth and brain development.
He urged the government to act swiftly and address the situation for the overall development of the nation.
The top contender for the Imo governorship highlighted the need to improve food security, empower women and girls with information, and expand nutrition-sensitive interventions that promote dietary diversity, exclusive breastfeeding, and hygiene practices in line with world best practices.
Prince Madumere challenged the government at all levels to work assiduously and harmoniously to address the country’s complex malnutrition and find lasting solutions.
