A total of $1.6million has been provided by the Economic Community Of West African States State (ECOWAS) Commission and the World Food Program (WFP) to fight the rising malnutrition and poverty in Katsina and Sokoto brought about by surge in banditry and internally displacement in the North West.
Donation of palliative to the North West by the WFP is expected to increase to the troubled North West region as a total of 500O metric tonne of wheat donated by the Ukrainian government is scheduled to be received at the weekend.
The Deputy Head of Programme WFP, Manuela Reinfield made the disclosure on Friday at the launch of the second phase of the ECOWAS, WFP, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affair Stabilization Project for 2024/2025 in Katsina.
Reinfield, while noting that the project took off at the right time, given the deteriorating food security situation and insecurity situation in the North West, said Stabilization Project aims at providing monthly cash transfer support of N11,500 to about 14,500 beneficiaries in both Katsina and Sokoto states for the next six months.
She revealed that nutritious food comprising of corn-soya blend, to pregnant and lactating women and their children under 2 years to prevent malnutrition will also be distributed in both states.
She added that Kastina and Zamfara state will get unconditional food assistance with the wheat grain expected to arrive in the country from Ukraine on Sunday
The Permanent Representative of Nigeria in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Amb. Sani Nuhu explained that the regional bloc which had established a Stabilization Fund to assist victims of terrorism and banditry in the region decided on the humanitarian assistance to the Northwest because of the sad situation
He said: “ECOWAS Commission came up with the idea of setting aside $1 million to
be given to Nigeria every year to come up with a program on providing social alleviation initiatives to victims of insecurity in the northeast and the Northwest.
He said ECOWAS had selected WFP as implementing partner so as to ensure that the assistant get to the intended beneficiaries.
On his part, the Kastina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda commended ECOWAS, WFP and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs for the support saying the project will empower and transfer best practices to the state institutions during implementation as there will be room for continuity and technical collaboration even after the expiration of the project
He assured that the state will be ready to provide conducive environment for continuous partnership with the donor partners.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Olumuyiwa Enitan, in his remarks stated that beneficiaries of the program were carefully selected in line with global practices as they are the most vulnerable in the state
He said 14,694 vulnerable population has been selected from Kastina and Sokoto state saying with 7,347 beneficiaries were selected across 2 local government areas of Kastina state.
He disclosed that the gesture was with the intention of ensuring a future where peace, stability and prosperity become a reality.
