National News
UN Says $1.1 billion needed for humanitarian assistance in North East this year
UN Says $1.1 billion needed for humanitarian assistance in North East this year
By: Michael Mike
The United Nations has said $1.1 billion would be needed in 2022 to undertake humanitarian assistance in the troubled North East.
The United Nations, who revealed that an estimated 8.4 million people will require humanitarian assistance in north-east Nigeria in the course of the year, lamented that the total number of those displaced in the 12 years crisis in the geopolitical zone was rising to over 2.2 million.
Speaking on Wednesday during the Launch of the Nigeria Humanitarian Response Plan 2022, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for Nigeria, Matthias Schmale, lamented that the conflict in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States has evolved into an alarming humanitarian and protection crisis, disproportionately affecting women and girls.
He said: “Over 2.2 million people are displaced due to the persistent conflict and face daily threats to their health, food security and safety..”
At the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan for north-east Nigeria which was launched on Thursday were speeches read by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, the governors of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States, United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, and other prominent stakeholders.
Schmale said US$1.1 billion is needed to provide critical aid and services to 5.5 million people who are most affected by the crisis.
He said: “For many women, men, boys and girls, the profound impact of conflict in north-east Nigeria continues to be felt painfully,” adding that: “Although we have seen some hopeful developments last year, many people have still started out 2022 in survival mode.”
He said: “While insecurity is persistent in many areas, there are also some locations of relative peace and stability in the north-east that we must look to for opportunities of long-term or durable solutions.”
Schmale, while disclosing that $700 million was realized from the targeted $1 billion, said should the $1.1 million target for this year not be meant, then the humanitarian assistance would be further trimmed down on top priorities that will include food, shelter and protection of the vulnerable, especially women and children.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq said: “Millions of people struggle to have their basic needs met, and the fluctuating food prices have further destabilized the already alarming food security situation. Thousands of children are at risk of becoming severely malnourished, especially during the lean season, which will have a detrimental effect on their future development.”
She added that: “Operationalising the humanitarian-development-peace nexus is key to meeting both immediate and longer-term needs. As we work with the UN and its partners to build the capacity of partners in affected communities, we are focusing on local solutions to local problems.”
In a recent visit to the north-east state of Borno, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. Martin Griffiths, spoke about his visit to a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Bama, stating, “Here, about 70,000 people live in a camp built for 25,000 people—70,000 people—none of whom know the day when they will be able to go home.”
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In the new 2022-2023 multi-year strategy, the humanitarian community will prioritize lifesaving needs while also working to reduce vulnerabilities through efforts to build resilience and enhance self-reliance.
Through the 2022 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), the Humanitarian Country Team for Nigeria and its partners will work to improve living conditions and strengthen protection, food security, nutrition and livelihoods opportunities. The HRP sets out detailed and prioritised cost plans for meeting the needs of affected people in north-east Nigeria, coordinated across UN agencies and NGO partners, as well as with the Government of Nigeria.
In 2021, the humanitarian community collectively stepped up to save lives with severely limited capacities and access constraints. With the generous support of donors, the humanitarian community and partners assisted close to 5 million people in 2021, including 1.8 million people with critical protection services and 1.3 million with nutritional support. Through the 2022 HRP, humanitarian actors are ready to again provide targeted, life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable people.
UN Says $1.1 billion needed for humanitarian assistance in North East this year
ActionAid Alleges Government Paying Lip-service to Free First Nine Years of Schooling
…Demands Immediate Government Action to End Educational Exclusion of Poor Children
By: Michael Mike
ActionAid Nigeria has alleged that the government is only paying lip service to the avowed policy of free education to children in their first nine years of schooling, insisting that a massive number of children are still being denied their right due to inadequate resources, poor infrastructure, and a lack of transparency in the use of public funds.
A statement on Monday by the Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu demanded an immediate government action to end educational exclusion of poor children in the country.
The statement read: “ActionAid Nigeria vehemently disapproves the failure of the Nigerian government to provide quality education to children from poor backgrounds- one of its most vulnerable citizens. Despite the free education policy that was enacted to cater for children in their first nine years of schooling, a massive number of children are still being denied their right due to inadequate resources, poor infrastructure, and a lack of transparency in the use of public funds. This is a shocking dereliction of duty.
“This obvious inaction by the government is a clear betrayal of the trust placed in them by the citizens. The inconsistent working relationship between federal and state governments has resulted in a catastrophic failure of coordination, prioritization, and curriculum development. This is unacceptable and must be addressed immediately.”
Mamedu added that: The outrageously high number of poorest children who are out of school is a direct consequence of the government’s appalling neglect of public services.”
Mamedu said: “According to the Nigerian Education Factsheet by UNICEF, about one fourth of the children of primary school completion age did not complete primary education. Moreover, there’s a staggering wealth-based disparity, as 97 per cent of children from the richest families complete primary school, compared to just 34 per cent from the poorest families.
“The gap widens in senior secondary school, where 90 per cent from wealthy families complete their education, versus a mere 16 per cent from poor families.”
He lamented that: “There are also significant ethnic disparities- children from Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Ibibio, and Edo backgrounds tend to have higher completion rates, while those from Fulani and Kanuri backgrounds face lower rates of educational attainment.”
He said he firmly believes that “Education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty, and it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that all children have access to quality education.”
He added that: “The current state of education in Nigeria is a crisis, and we assert that the government takes immediate action to address these issues and prioritize the future of our children.”
Mamedu said: “ActionAid strongly demands that the government: Implements the policy of free education for the first nine years of schooling effectively, without delay; Improves coordination and prioritization between federal and state governments, to ensure a unified approach to education; Increases transparency in the allocation and use of public funds for education, to ensure that resources are being used effectively; Allocates sufficient funds for infrastructure development and improving the school experience for children, to provide a safe and supportive learning environment.”
He said: “It’s time for the government to step up and fulfill its responsibility to provide a decent education for all, without excuses or exceptions.”
ActionAid Alleges Government Paying Lip-service to Free First Nine Years of Schooling
Six terrorists killed as army troops raid terrorists enclaves
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the Operation Hadin Kai of the Nigerian Army have killed six fighters of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) during a raid of a “notorious enclave” in Goniri in Damboa LGA in Borno.
It was gathered that the feat was recorded when the troops of 81 Division Task Force Battalion stormed the terrorists enclave in collaboration with Civilian Joint Task Force on May 9, 2024.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the The troops successfully cleared Wulma Mashi and Kodow and destroyed structures of the terrorists. The troops went further to clear Goniri and Kokotuma. Contact was made with the terrorists in a small market before Gorere market.
The troops gundown the six terrorists and destroyed all the structures in the area.
Six terrorists killed as army troops raid terrorists enclaves
FG Declares Wednesday Holiday to Mark Worker’s Day
By: Michael Mike
The Federal Government has declared Wednesday, 1st May, 2024 as a Public Holiday to commemorate this year’s Workers’ Day Celebration.
The Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, reiterated the need for excellence, efficiency and equity in all spheres of labour, re-affirming President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, productivity, and inclusivity in the workplace.
Tunji-Ojo, in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Aishetu Gogo Ndayako, said: “In alignment with this year’s theme, which focuses on ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate, I wish to state that the Federal Government remains steadfast in its resolve to prioritise the safety and well-being of all citizens. Let me reaffirm Mr. President’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for work, where every worker can thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development”.
The Minister, while acknowledging the contribution of workers, called for proactive measures to mitigate adverse effects of climate change through synergy in in the implementation of sustainable practices and policies that promote well-being in the workplace and in building a nation guided by the principles of integrity, diligence and compassion.
Tunji-Ojo also urged Nigerians to remain committed to the present administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda as he wishes workers a happy celebration.
FG Declares Wednesday Holiday to Mark Worker’s Day
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