General News
Benue Partners Bio-Organics to Fight Malnutrition with Enrich
With the purchase of 10 million sachets of micro-nutrient powder (MNP) known as Enrich, Benue State Government has begun tackling the scourge of malnutrition by distributing the food fortifying MNP to 86, 000 children in the state.
According to the state government, the micro-nutrients food powder which is manufactured in Nigeria by Bio-Organics Nutrient Systems Limited, will reach thousands of children in Benue State between December last year to May 2014, thereby fortifying them against malnutrition and diseases associated with micro-nutrients deficiency.
Speaking at the launch of Enrich Micro-nutrient food powder in Benue State recently, Mrs. Dooshima Suswam, first lady of the State, said there was need to address the problem of malnutrition in Benue with the MNP because the lack of nutritious food, poor feeding practices and children not getting enough nutritious food lead to malnutrition – which is the underlying cause of about half of deaths recorded in children under age of five years and severe acute malnutrition affecting millions of Nigerian children.
She also expressed delight with the innovation strategy aimed at reducing infant mortality in the state saying, “Benue State Government has procured 10 million sachet of MNP for distribution to 86, 000 children between age of 6 months and 59 months during the Maternal Newborn and Child Health Weeks (MNCHWs) of December 2013 and May 2014.
A sachet of MNP contains 15 micronutrients that are supposed to be added to the food of a child at the point of consumption.
“The overall strategy is to adopt a state-driven approach that is built upon existing routine and outreach health services delivery system with increased mobilisation of communities during the specified months of MNCHWs,” Arc Suswam stated.
Enrich micro-nutrient powder, a single-serve free-flowing blend of 15 vitamins and minerals, is targeted at meeting the daily recommended nutrient intake of children above 6 months of age. It does not change the taste, smell or colour of food and is easy to use.
Speaking at the launch of Enrich micronutrient food powder in Benue State, Dr. Kenny Acholonu, chief executive officer, Bio-Organics Nutrients Systems Limited, noted that “most complementary and staple foods lack sufficient amounts of vitamins and minerals required for optimal growth and development of children, especially in the first 1000 days of life. But, with the use of Enrich as part of their food, these essential micronutrients will be supplied in sufficient quantities.
“We, therefore, want to use this opportunity to urge mothers to adopt MNP as part of their children’s feeding routine and use them according to the instructions of the health workers. Doing this diligently, will enhance the health, growth and development of the children, which will favourably complement the efforts of the state and all the stakeholders involved,” he said.
Dr Acholonu also commended Benue State for being the first state in Nigeria to combat malnutrition in Nigeria with the indigenous micro-nutrient food supplement.
He said, “We hereby congratulate the government of Benue State on this laudable initiative of being the first state in Nigeria to adopt MNP as a preventive health intervention for the children and mothers of this great state. Benue State has set a commendable platform for other states to emulate and we are very pleased to be associated with this achievement which is in line with the Millennium Development Goal and the 7 point agenda of His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.”
He also thanked Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) for its invaluable support in the delivery of this project.
Dr Orduen Abunku, Benue State Commissioner of Health, said that the state government had to provide micro-nutrients powder for the fortification of food for children in the state because of they are prone to malnutrition. He also thanked Bio-Organics Limited and its partner, GAIN adding that the partnership will benefit children who are the future of the state.
It would be recalled that a delegation from Benue Sate Government paid an official visit to Bio-Organics Limited last year where the Commissioner of Health, had made known the intention of the state to purchase the micronutrient food powder to combat malnutrition.
Bio-Organics Limited has strategically positioned itself to deliver Micro nutrient powders (MNPs) of the best global standards by acquiring new machineries with production capacity of over 2 million MNP sachets per month.
This is as a testament of its intentions to deliver the best and most cost effective solutions to tackle the scourge of malnutrition in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
Report by World Health Organisation (WHO) said about 140 -250 million children under five years of age are affected by Vitamin A deficiency globally, while the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) noted that malnutrition is the underlying cause of morbidity and mortality of a large proportion of children under 5 in Nigeria. It accounts for more than 50 per cent of deaths of children in this age bracket.
Adoption and distribution of the indigenously produced Enrich micro-nutrients food powder by Benue state government will significantly reduce the level of malnutrition in the state.
Federal government recently received a proposed protocol agreement from India that could pave the way for agricultural cooperation between the two countries.
Abishek Singh, India’s high commissioner to Nigeria, announced the proposal recently n Abuja during the India-Nigeria Business Forum on Agriculture and Allied Sectors.
New Delhi’s proposed cooperation would support Nigeria’s food security efforts, with the goal of reducing post-harvest losses by nearly 50% and expanding agricultural processing.
It would also cover technology transfers, mechanization, financing solutions and capacity building.
Abuja has opened similar discussions with China.
Only recently, Mukhtar Muhammed, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, said Nigeria wanted to deepen scientific and technological cooperation with Beijing in agriculture.
The discussions with China have focused on developing low-cost, solar-powered cold storage facilities and transferring food-processing technologies.
Nigeria, also wants to work with Chinese research institutes to develop infrastructure that can improve the preservation of perishable products.
Nigeria’s outreach to its Asian partners addresses a major problem for the agricultural sector.
The Bank of Agriculture (BoA) estimates that Africa’s most populous country loses 30 million to 40 million tons of food each year before it reaches consumers.
Those losses are worth an average of about N3.5 trillion ($2.5 billion) annually, according to data the institution presented at a workshop in Kaduna in July 2026.
Perishable products are particularly vulnerable, according to local media reports, with fruits and vegetables accounting for an estimated 40% to 50% of total losses.
The government has already launched its own response to the problem.
Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) indicted the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and other ministries over administrative lapses that allowed the fictitious Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC) to operate.
Musa Aliyu, chairman, ICPC, stated that NITDA, alongside the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), the Budget Office, and other bodies, failed to carry out adequate due diligence and standard operating procedures.
ICPC said however, clarified that the findings pointed to severe internal control weaknesses and administrative negligence rather than active official complicity by NITDA and the other affected agencies.
The briefing followed a 30-day investigation ordered by the president on July 7 into allegations surrounding the purported presidential council.
The commission also cleared the presidency and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of any wrongdoing but blamed institutional lapses in several ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
Aliyu said investigators established that Adeniyi Adeyemi, the director-general, was never appointed by the federal government and that the PFIPC had no legal existence.
“As you may recall, on the 7th of July, Mr. President directed the ICPC to conduct an investigation into the fake Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council and submit a report within 30 days,” he said.
“Today, exactly within the stipulated period, we have submitted an interim report based on our interactions with all stakeholders involved.”
According to Aliyu, Tinubu directed the commission to make its findings public in the interest of transparency and accountability.
He said the investigation found that Adeyemi’s purported appointment letter was forged.
“It has been established that Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was never appointed by the Federal Government or any authority whatsoever,” he said.
“The Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, which sometimes they called the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, was never established by any law, executive order or any valid instrument of government.
“The appointment letter presented by Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew was completely forged alongside similar documents used to perpetuate the illegal activities of the fake agency.”
Aliyu stated that a purported government gazette used to legitimise the organisation was also fabricated.
“If you recall, there was a gazette which he used to support the fake agency. That gazette is an illegal document that never passed through the processes prescribed by law,” he stated.
“Our investigation found that the office used by the fake agency was the office of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council. The office was broken into and access was gained illegally. That was how he was able to operate from there.”
Aliyu also revealed that investigators uncovered two additional fictitious government agencies allegedly created by the suspect — the FCT Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) and the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency/Public-Private Partnership (FIPA-PPP).
According to him, fake legislative instruments were used to create the agencies and open bank accounts.
Despite the elaborate scheme, the ICPC chairman said the investigation found no evidence that federal government funds were disbursed to the fake council.
“Our investigation found that no funds of the federal government were approved or disbursed to the fake PFIPC,” he said.
“We also discovered no weaknesses in the systems of the State House or the Central Bank of Nigeria during our investigation. The fake appointment letter did not originate from the presidency.
“Our investigation found that some public officers failed to carry out due diligence and failed to comply with standard operating procedures in their ministries and departments. That gave him the opportunity to carry out these illegal acts.”
Nigeria tax system is build on taxing prosperity not poverty, according to Dr. Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman, Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS).
Dr. Zacch Adedeji, executive chairman, Nigeria Revenue Service
Adedeji, also dismissed the insinuation that the government’s tax reform is aimed at extracting money from Nigerians .
He said the essence of reform is creating an economic environment where individuals and businesses can prosper.
Dr. Adedeji made the clarifications on Sunday night while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he defended the administration’s tax reforms and addressed concerns over rising government revenue amid the economic hardship facing Nigerians.
According to him, the government’s objective is to tax the fruits of investment rather than the investment itself.
“For us at Nigeria Tax, we are not there to extract. Our focus is not revenue. I don’t want to tax poverty. I’m to tax the fruit, not the seed, and I’m to tax the return, not investment.”
Adedeji explained that the government would generate more revenue as businesses became more profitable, without necessarily increasing the tax burden on individuals and companies.
He said a company that made N100 in profit could generate N30 in tax revenue for the government, but if its profit increased to N200 or N300, government revenue would rise accordingly.
“So, if I want to make more, I must work for you to make more. And that is why it is in the best interest of us in Nigeria Revenue Service that businesses are doing well, individuals are doing well,” he said.
He said the approach was consistent with President Bola Tinubu’s economic agenda, which seeks to remove barriers to investment and create a more conducive environment for businesses to operate and expand.
Adedeji cited reforms in the electricity sector as part of the government’s efforts to stimulate economic activity.
He noted that the Electricity Act had devolved powers to state governments to generate, transmit and distribute electricity, arguing that improved power supply would boost production and productivity across the economy.
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