Bauchi assembly approves N103m loan to fight malnutrition

Lukman Amusa

The Bauchi House of Assembly has approved N103 million loan request submitted by Gov. Mohammed Abubakar.

The loan, which is to be deployed into tackling acute malnutrition and facilitating immunisations, was approved by the lawmakers on Tuesday at plenary.

In the letter seeking their approval for the facility, Gov. Abubakar had said that the loan would be obtained from  Keystone Bank for the payment of counterpart contribution in respect of community management of acute malnutrition, and routine immunisation.

“We need the loan to enable the state government access the World Bank Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project,” it said.

Moving a motion for the approval, Chairman, Committee on Health, Alhaji Ibrahim Katagum, urged his colleagues to endorse the request so as to help government to tackle malnutrition in the rural communities.

Katagum, however, appealed to the state government to use the money judiciously, and cautioned against misappropriating it.

In his contribution, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, member representing Kirfi constituency, urged his colleagues to approve the facility for the benefit of the children who, he noted, were the nation’s future leaders.

“We cannot afford to delay this approval because the facility is very crucial to our future,” he said.

The Speaker, Mr Kawuwa Damina, while endorsing the request, said that the loan would facilitate adequate care for malnourished children and ease access to routine immunisation against killer diseases. (NAN)