In a bid to tackle the rising threat of severe malnutrition and anaemia among displaced populations, the Federal Government, alongside the Niger State Government, flagged off the distribution of emergency food and micronutrient supplies in Minna on Saturday.
The intervention, spearheaded by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, targets internally displaced persons, particularly pregnant women, lactating mothers, and children under five whose health has been severely compromised by ongoing banditry and recurring floods.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction stated that the relief materials were deliberately structured to address essential micronutrient deficiencies and prevent severe conditions like anaemia.
The Minister also used the occasion to launch the “One Humanitarian, One Poverty” response system, a major policy shift aimed at integrating vulnerable households into the National Social Register for long-term support like conditional cash transfers, rather than relying on one-off emergency aid.
Highlighting the root causes of the displacement fueling this health crisis, Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago explained that the state is battling a dual threat.
Communities are being displaced by the overflow of four major hydropower dams and an influx of extremists from northwestern Nigeria.
Governor Bago warned that while providing nutritional relief is vital, neglecting the education of displaced children will inevitably breed a new generation of insurgents, urging immediate intervention from international bodies like UNICEF.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Mr Olubunmi Olusanya noted that Niger is one of the 10 most conflict-affected states benefiting from this presidential initiative.
He demanded strict transparency from frontline workers to ensure these vital health and food supplies reach the targeted households without diversion.
Echoing the need for accountability, the State Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Ahmed Inga issued a stern warning to the beneficiaries against selling the foodstuff they received.
The Commissioner directed the displaced families to utilize the life-saving nutritional items and food provisions to improve their health and combat malnutrition, strongly warning against selling the intervention materials in the open market.
