Insecurity Hampering Humanitarian Operations – Group

Conference of Civil Society of Nigeria (CCSN), yesterday lamented that the ravaging insecurity in the country makes humanitarian operations difficult.

The group added that the supply routes in most parts of the country are interrupted by terrorists and bandits who pose high security risk to humanitarian staff and materials.

It however, commended the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq, over her response to the economic and security challenges facing the country.

Recall that in the past few years, the nation has been faced with insecurity, which resulted in the devastation of agricultural production, decline in economic fortune due to the negative impact of Covid 19 and also the global food shortage due to the Russian-Ukrainian war.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, chairperson of CCSN, Adams Otakwu, noted that the Government Economic Enterprises Program (GEEP) with focus on providing financial inclusion and access to micro-credit for Nigerians at the bottom of the economic pyramid, has impacted the lives of many Nigerians through the MarketMoni, TraderMoni and FarmerMoni.

Otakwu said that the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) with focus on providing access to targeted transfers to poor and vulnerable households under an expanded national social safety nets system, has significantly improved many household consumption, increase utilisation of health and nutrition services.

Otakwu also explained that the National Home Grown School Feeding Program has had a valuable impact and significantly improved the health and educational outcomes of primary school pupils, adding, “it has as well improved enrollment of primary school children and stimulates local agricultural production.”

He said that there have been successful operations to enhance partnership amongst stakeholders for securing and reducing road transport accidents, noting that signing of the city with refugees declaration in 2021 distribution of relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) across the country have significantly relieved refugee stress by over 70 percent.

Chairperson, who disclosed that over five thousand Nigerian refugees have been voluntarily repatriated and resettled, lamented the challenges faced by the Humanitarian ministry.

“We however note the challenges posed by the current security challenges on the success of these interventions by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development under the leadership of Hajia Sadiya Umar Farouq.

“The ravaging insecurity makes humanitarian operations difficult. Supply routes in most parts are interrupted by terrorists and bandits who pose high security risk to humanitarian staff and materials.”

The group has, however, called on the public, international community, the United Nations, bilateral and multilateral partners to support humanitarian response in Nigeria, especially as the country grapples to defeat the current menace of insecurity.