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Nigeria, Other West African Countries Facing Worst Food Crisis in 10 Years, Aid Groups Say
By Derrick Bangura
International aid agencies on Tuesday raised the alarm that the West African sub-region was currently facing its worst food crisis in a decade, with 27 million people currently going hungry.
In a damning statement, 11 major international organisations including Oxfam, ALIMA and Save the Children, among others, warned that the figure could even rise to 38 million by June.
The global aid groups warned that unless urgent action is taken, the increase would mark “a new historic level” and an increase by more than a third during last year.
The alert came a day ahead of a virtual conference on the food and nutrition crisis in the Sahel and Lake Chad.
A recent report jointly anchored by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) had also warned that acute food insecurity was likely to deteriorate further in Nigeria and 19 other countries, particularly between February and May 2022.
The reality of hunger is also increasingly manifesting across parts of the continent. President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina estimates that about 250 million Africans live on an empty stomach daily.
According to him, hunger has become a way of life on the continent, adding that food systems across the continent were failing to deliver diets that are healthy, affordable, secure and safe for vast swathes of its population.
Since 2015, the number of people in need of emergency food assistance in the West African sub-region – which includes Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Mali, and Nigeria – has nearly quadrupled, jumping from seven to 27 million.
Oxfam’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Assalama Dawalack Sidi said the situation had been worsened by drought, floods, conflict, and the economic impacts of COVID-19, which have displaced millions and is “pushing them to the brink.”
“There is not enough food, let alone food that is nutritious enough for children. We must help them urgently because their health, their future and even their lives are at risk,” stressed Save the Children’s Director for West and Central Africa, Philippe Adapoe.
The United Nations has estimated that 6.3 million children aged 6-59 months will be acutely malnourished this year, an increase of almost 30 per cent from 2021.
With food increasingly scarce, families’ food sources, especially in the central Sahel, and families increasingly being forced to sell their assets, further jeopardising their productive capacity and the future of their children.
To add to the already dire situation, experts have predicted that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could push food prices up to 20 per cent worldwide, “an unbearable increase for an already fragile population”.
The conflict will likely significantly reduce the availability of wheat in the six West African countries, which import at least a third or even as much as half of their consumption volumes from the conflicting countries.
While the crisis has shown no sign of abating during the past decade, international donations are drastically reducing. Last year, the humanitarian response plan for West Africa failed to reach half of its scope.
“The Sahel crisis is one of the worst humanitarian crises on a global scale and, at the same time, one of the least funded. “We fear that by redirecting humanitarian budgets to the Ukrainian crisis, we risk dangerously aggravating one crisis to respond to another,” said Mamadou Diop, the regional representative of Action Against Hunger.
According to the statement, Denmark has announced that it will postpone about half of its entire bilateral development assistance to Burkina Faso and Mali this year, in order to fund the reception of people displaced from Ukraine.
Mr Joshua Ibitomi, the Area Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC),
Ibeju-Lekki, Epe Division, Lagos State, has warned truck drivers against speeding and reckless driving.
He gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibeju-Lekki on Tuesday.
The FRSC official, who blamed speeding on the ghastly vehicle accident that occurred at Aiyetoro market in Epe
which claimed several lives and left some injured, said that with careful driving, such accident could be avoided.
He added that “the accident was as a result of speeding, reckless driving and loading of truck beyond its capacity.
“All these are factors responsible for accident when drivers are not conscious of the driving rules.
“Vehicle can develop technical fault at any time, therefore, speed limit and caution need to be applied while driving.”
He said FRSC had been sensitising drivers on the need to install speed limit device and be road conscious while driving, in line with the mandate to instill decent use of road.
Ibitomi also advised passers-by and the public to be safety conscious while walking on roadsides to avoid falling victim of accidents.
He attributed major road crashes on roads to speed limit violation, urging drivers to respect the sanctity of human life by obeying traffic rules.
He added that the FRSC had evolved measures to ensure accident-free yuletide and new year festivities in 2024
Jubilant supporters celebrated Donald Trump’s apparent victory in Florida early Wednesday as he claimed a return to the White House, despite most major news networks holding off on officially calling the race.
At an event in Palm Beach, Trump supporters reveled in the win projected by Fox News, cheering as the former president declared a “political victory that our country has never seen before.”
“I feel extraordinary,” said 68-year-old supporter Ted Sarvanis, dancing with arms in the air. “This is the greatest American political story in the history of the country.”
Joined by running mate J.D. Vance, Trump took the stage, celebrating his projected win. The atmosphere at the convention center was electric, with supporters sporting “Make America Great Again” caps and mingling in formal attire and Trump-themed clothing.
“I feel relieved. I was a little bit scared because you never know how things are going to turn out,” said Stacy Kurtz, 45.
In contrast, a far different scene unfolded for Vice President Kamala Harris’s supporters at Howard University in Washington, where they were hoping for a Democratic win.
As the night wore on and Trump gained electoral votes in key battleground states, disappointment swept through the crowd.
“I am scared, I am anxious now,” said Charlyn Anderson earlier in the evening.
Democratic watch parties in places like Atlanta and Pennsylvania grew somber as results rolled in, with Lynn Johnson, 65, expressing concern, “It’s going to be dangerous if he wins. I don’t feel safe.”
While Trump’s supporters celebrated a comeback, the mood among Democrats was marked by worry and disbelief.
“He’s a terrible candidate, so it just doesn’t make sense,” said Harris supporter Ken Brown.
The contrasting scenes highlighted the nation’s deep political divide on election night.
President Bola Tinubu has extended warm congratulations to President Donald Trump on his re-election as the 47th President of the United States, expressing optimism for stronger ties between Nigeria and the U.S. in an era of global challenges.
The congratulatory message, issued by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information & Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, emphasises the Nigerian leader’s hopes for a renewed partnership between the two nations.
Following his victory on Wednesday, Trump pledged to “heal” the country, marking a stunning political comeback as he edged past Kamala Harris in a closely contested election.
Tinubu, in his message, affirmed, “Together, we can foster economic cooperation, promote peace, and address global challenges that affect our citizens.”
Tinubu highlighted that Trump’s return to the White House reflects the trust and confidence of the American people in his leadership, praising their commitment to democracy.
Given Trump’s experience from 2017 to 2021 as the 45th President, Tinubu foresees a new era of “earnest, beneficial, and reciprocal economic and development partnerships between Africa and the United States.”
The Nigerian President also expressed confidence that Trump’s leadership will contribute to peace and prosperity worldwide, acknowledging America’s significant influence on global affairs.
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