Northeast
Nigeria: CERF releases US$10 million to save 1.7 million children under five in Northeast
Nigeria: CERF releases US$10 million to save 1.7 million children under five in Northeast
By: James Bwala
As the people of north-east Nigeria struggle to endure a devastating food and nutrition crisis, the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has released a US$10 million allocation to help save lives and get urgent aid to those who need it most.
A statement by UN OCHA said approximately 1.74 million children under the age of five is expected to suffer from acute malnutrition across the north-east in 2022.
“With a 34 per cent increase so far from last year the north-east recorded the highest burden of acute malnutrition since 2016, and, over 300,000 children are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition.” The statement said.
According to OCHA, the consequences of inaction are a matter of life and death. If immediate action is not taken, more than five thousand children are expected to die. Those who survive will potentially face lifelong disabilities. Malnutrition puts children at greater risk of dying from common infections, increases the frequency and severity of such infections, delays recovery and causes development stagnation.
“This CERF allocation will enable accelerated action to increase treatment capacity and early identification of acute malnutrition. The funding will be used for integrated prevention and treatment, including proven local solutions to improve availability, affordability and/or accessibility to nutritious foods that protect women and children from repeated episodes of acute malnutrition.
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“This CERF allocation is the latest in a concerted effort to address the food and nutrition crisis. In May 2022 CERF allocated $15 million to support the catastrophic food insecurity and nutrition response. In September, the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF) provided two allocations of $2.5 million and $1 million to enable humanitarian actors to provide urgent nutrition support in line with the interagency US$ 351 million multisector plan to address the desperate food and nutrition situation.
“These funds are being disbursed in the midst of an alarming lean season in which 4.1 million people across the north-east are facing the pain of hunger according to the Cadre Harmonisé food security and nutrition assessment.
“Despite these efforts, there remains a massive funding gap. The Nutrition Sector has a lean season funding gap of $39 million, or 57 per cent. According to Mr. Matthias Schmale, Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, “We urgently need to close the funding gap to rapidly scale-up the response and implement immediate life-saving measures. For the thousands of children trying to survive, additional funding is needed today, not tomorrow.” The statement reads.
Nigeria: CERF releases US$10 million to save 1.7 million children under five in Northeast
Zulum Approves N1.3bn Scholarship for 997 Nursing, Midwifery Students in Borno
By: Michael Mike
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has approved N1.3 billion scholarship for 997 nursing and midwifery students who are indigenes of the state.
According to a statement on Wednesday, the scholarship programme received about 1,080 nominations, 40 from each of the 27 local government areas of the state, but after an entrance examination, 997 applicants passed and qualified to benefit from the scholarship.
Zulum, while launching the scholarship programme on Wednesday at the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Maiduguri, noted that with the scholarship, the beneficiaries would, on graduation, bridge the workforce demands in the state’s healthcare service delivery due to the increasing population growth.
He said: “The government has allocated a total of ₦1,305,189,000 for scholarships, with a breakdown of ₦124,149,000 earmarked for tuition fees.
“The remaining ₦1,181,040,000 will be disbursed as a monthly stipend of ₦30,000 to each beneficiary throughout their studies.”
Zulum further stated that his administration was constructing two colleges of nursing, one in the northern part of the state and the other one in the southern part.
He assured that the two colleges would be completed and opened for academic activities this year.
Highlighting the government’s efforts, the Commissioner for Education, Engineer Lawan Wakilbe, disclosed that from May 29, 2019 to date, Zulum’s administration had approved over N6 billion for scholarship with N2.7 billion of that amount approved from May 29, 2023 to date.
Meanwhile, the governor has awarded N201 million bursary allowance to 2,010 students of the Maiduguri College of Nursing who had not benefited from the scholarship.
The governor directed that each of the 2,010 nursing and midwifery students be credited with the bursary allowance of N100,000.
Zulum also commissioned a lecture theatre complex and a 3,000 people-capacity multipurpose hall for the College of Nursing and Midwifery, Maiduguri.
The governor also announced automatic employment for the 997 beneficiaries and other nursing students who had excelled academically, on completion of their studies.
In a related development, the Nursing Council of Nigeria (NCN) has commended Borno State for his commitment to improving nursing practice in the state, noting that the scholarship awarded by the governor on Wednesday was the first of its kind and so far the largest in Nigeria.
The Registrar of the Council, Dr Farouk Umar Abubakar, who was represented by the Director of Standard and Accreditation, Alhassan Ndagi, gave the commendation while delivering a goodwill message at the flag-off of the N1.3 billion scholarship for nursing and midwifery students in Maiduguri.
The register applauded the performance of the nursing students from Borno, stating that every year at the national examinations, students from Borno score more than 90 percent.
Zulum Approves N1.3bn Scholarship for 997 Nursing, Midwifery Students in Borno
Army rescues another Chibok girl, Lydia Simon in Borno
By: Zagazola Makama
Another Chibok girl, Lydia Simon, has been rescued by troops of Operstion Desert Sanity III, North East Operation Hadin Kai.
She was rescued along with her three children by the troops of 82 Division Task Force Battalion in Ngoza LGA, on Wednesday April 17, 2024.
Intelligence Sources told Zagazola Makama, a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad region, that Lydia who was on serial number 68 among the abducted missing girls escaped from the camp of Ali Ngulde in Mandara Mountain where she was held in captivity for several years
She surrendered to troops of 82 Division Task Force Battalion at Ngoshe in Gwoza LGA. The rescued Chibok girl was five months pregnant and claimed she was from Pemi Town in Chibok.
April 14, marks the 10th anniversary of the violent abduction of 276 girls from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, by Boko Haram insurgents.
While 57 of the girls escaped from their captors in the following days, 16 were later rescued and 107 have at different times been released through negotiations.
The Federal government, state and the Nigerian Army have pledged its commitment toward rescuing the rest of the abducted girls that are still held in captivity by the terrorists.
Army rescues another Chibok girl, Lydia Simon in Borno
10 Feared Dead, 20 injured In Borno As Motorists Climb ISWAP IEDs
By: Zagazola Makama
A commercial vehicle traveling on the Baga road in Kukawa LGA of Borno has reportedly exploded, killing 10 passengers and injuring 20.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in the lake Chad region, that the vehicle exploded after running into a roadside Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on Wednesday.
The IED was believed to have been laid for the troops of Sector 3 Operation Hadin Kai, around the Mosquito camp by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
The injured victims were taken to Monguno where they are receiving treatment.
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