In Search of Humanitarian Aid for North-east

Ugo Aliogo examines the UN statistics and the $1.3 billion needed to reach 6 million people in North-east Nigeria with humanitarian assistance in 2023
 
The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale, stated recently that $1.3 billion would be needed to reach six million people in North-east Nigeria with humanitarian assistance in 2023.

The 6 million people requiring assistance represents an increase of 500,000 people from the 5.5 million people identified for assistance in 2022.
According to him, $1.3 billion is needed to provide critical lifesaving assistance to 6 million people suffering from the devastating impact the continuing 13-year-long non-international armed conflict.

It was learnt that with the Humanitarian Response Plan, 120 operational partners would work in support of government efforts to save lives, improve the quality of life, protect the most vulnerable and enable affected people to return to normalcy and live safely and with dignity.

Schmale, who expressed concern that the large-scale humanitarian crisis in the North-east is not showing any sign of abating, explained that 2.4 million people in the region affected by the conflict require urgent support.

He said: “An estimated 2.4 million people are in acute need – impacted by conflict, disaster and disease – and require urgent support. Some humanitarian needs of affected people are deepening and increasing, particularly those related to food insecurity and malnutrition. 

“Approximately 4.4 million people are expected to face food insecurity in the 2023 lean season, up from 4.1 million in 2022. Without urgent action, 4,000 people in Bama, Borno State, are expected to be in ‘catastrophe’ (Phase 5) conditions, in which starvation, death, destitution and extremely critical acute malnutrition levels become prevalent.”

He also noted that despite facing severe access and funding constraints, the humanitarian community reached 4.7 million people with assistance in 2022 through the generous support of donors.

With the Humanitarian Response Plan, he noted, the UN has outlined a vision to assist six million people. Of the $1.3 billion required, $631 million will be urgently needed for an emergency response to the 2.4 million people in acute need.

On her part, the British High Commissioner, Ms Catriona Laing, described the humanitarian crisis in the North-east as complex and pressing, and charged the Nigerian government with the primary obligation of leading recovery to redouble efforts in addressing the protracted humanitarian crisis.
She also urged inclusive actions that put women at the centre of the localised response.

The Minister, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farooq, said the Nigerian state would remain committed to addressing the needs of vulnerable citizens.

She also underscored durable and sustainable actions being taken by the government, as it scales up rehabilitation and recovery efforts in the NE, to build the capacities of citizens to adapt to new and emerging shocks occasioned by migration, floods, epidemics and pandemics as well as the effect of climate change to underline its shift towards risk reduction measures in its planning and programming in finding durable solutions to socio-economic vulnerabilities of its citizens.

Malnutrition

Malnutrition is still a big problem in Nigeria for many reasons mainly because of poverty which affects not only the ability of people to have sustainable access to nutritious food that prevents them and their families from falling into malnutrition, but because its impacts on people’s abilities to afford essentials like education that helps them have adequate information to make informed decision or access health services which help treat malnutrition or underlining conditions.

To underscored the challenges caused by malnutrition in the North-east, THISDAY spoke to Humanitarian and Resilience Manager, ActionAid Nigeria, David Habba, who noted that poverty is the deliberate action or inaction of those people who should act, or otherwise known as duty bearers such as Government, adding that this is among the many reasons why ActionAid fights poverty, because they believe that poverty is manmade.

He further explained that there are other reasons such as the general food insecurity situation of the country which is affecting food production or other disasters such as floods, and insecurity that prevent people from engaging in productive economic activities.

He remarked that the insecurity situation alongside malnutrition would have been worse if not for the efforts of organisations such as ActionAid, the UN and others who are consistently implementing actions in communities and at policy levels. While the problem is still here, it could have been worse.

Habba expressed the readiness of the agency to make bigger strides and reduce malnutrition to its barest, stating that the government must take centre stage in prioritising and investing its resources in this regard.
He hinted that there is need to address the root causes of malnutrition such as poverty, illiteracy, poor healthcare delivery and others.

Tackling the Menace

Tackling malnutrition requires a collaborative effort of state actors, it is not an exercise done in isolation, therefore having joint efforts often times produces conventional and time-tested approaches with proven results. Habba viewpoint is that the situation would have been worse off if ActionAid Nigeria did not have donors like the World Food Programme with whom they partnered to provide lifesaving assistance interventions in many areas of the North-east of Nigeria.
“It looks like the entire challenge has been handed over to international organisations, donors, and of course other national organisations to handle. This is a Nigerian problem; the international organisations and community are only here to support but we need the Nigerian government taking the lead and ensuring that it is committing our resources as well. You will be surprised that in some of the health facilities, even the doctors and nurses are employed and paid by the NGOs. What happens when funding cuts? This will also be a call on donors to increase their support to the country. In the wake of the war in Ukraine, there has been a huge funding deficit to countries in need like Nigeria. The humanitarian principles of humanity should come to play here. The competing needs are appreciated but this is an advocacy for increased funding. They are already doing well but we call on them to do much more and not forget the starving population in Nigeria,” he said.

Lifesaving Assistance

Although $1.3 billion is needed to provide critical lifesaving assistance to six million people suffering from the devastating impact of the continuing 13-year-long non-international armed conflict, the worry however is that President Buhari’s administration might not meet up with this target since the government is in its final lap to leave office after May 29, 2023. Therefore, this is a challenge that would confront the new government.
Habba’s position on this is that it is not the sole responsibility of the government to fund this plan, noting that funding would come from donors, philanthropies, corporate, and individuals, but government needs also to make a significant contribution because it is a Nigerian problem and government owes the people this duty.

“I am not aware of what the government of Nigeria’s funding for the HRP in the previous years has been like, but this is also a call for them, especially the new government to look at this area.  Nigeria is a blessed country, by plugging waste, leaks minimizing corruption, and ensuring value for money, there would be enough resources to be channelled to areas like this that need urgent intervention. This will also save us the reputation of having to always go cap in hand waiting for donors to put in donations into our basket before we can save our people,” he stated.
 

Address Food Insecurity

It is estimated that approximately 4.4 million people are expected to face food insecurity in the 2023 lean season, up from 4.1 million in 2022. However, it is important to note that during the leans season, vulnerable households and populations are assisted to be able to meet their food needs. This can be done by directly distribution food commodities during the five months of the lean season or through interventions like cash transfers or other livelihood support interventions that help put some resources in the hands of people.

Habba remarked that during the leans season, due to the rains, there is usually a spike in water borne diseases such as cholera or even illnesses like malaria, adding that these are contributors to the malnutrition burden during the lean season.

He urged actors to ensure contingency measures to respond to these issues, stating that the governments at all levels including state and local government are not left out.

He said: “You can see how no one is complaining that the country is broke now that politicians are about their business of politics and elections, it is important that the same energy and resources are deployed to addressing these basic issues. This is why they politic and we go for elections to hold in the first place. The new government must also prioritize investments in the human sectors of our nation. This is important to addressing the root causes of malnutrition.”