General
Zero Hunger: World Food Programme Promises Nigeria $2.5bn
By Adedapo Adesanya
The World Food Programme (WFP) has pledged to commit $2.5 billion to strengthen and support Nigeria’s efforts towards sustainable food security and zero hunger across the country by 2028.
The WFP Country Director, Mr David Stevesson, disclosed this when he led the UN agency’s team to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Betta Edu, on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said, “We talked about zero hunger, we talked about humanitarian hubs in every local government area in the country, we talked about the world food programme.
“The potential to support those hubs through buying food locally and assisting the needy with cash transfers and food.”
“Let me announce here that the World Food Programme is committed to spending $2.5 billion to fight hunger in the next five years in Nigeria,” he said.
Mr Stevesson said that the agency had already captured 2.1 million beneficiaries under the programme with the hope of maintaining a working relationship with the ministry to achieve the target.
He expressed the agency’s readiness to support the federal government’s determination to address humanitarian crises and poverty issues, especially as it relates to food security.
“We are excited by President Bola Tinubu’s commitment and drive to eradicate poverty and reduce humanitarian crises in Nigeria.
“The new energy which the Minister is bringing into the space gives us hope that we will accomplish a lot together,” he said.
While congratulating the minister on her appointment, the WFP Country Director expressed optimism about the ability of the minister to deliver on the mandate.
In her response, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Edu, said that the intervention would go a long way to address some of the humanitarian challenges affecting the country.
According to her, Zero Hunger is a top priority for the ministry, adding that it is part of poverty and humanitarian response efforts.
”We, therefore, appeal to the WFP to key into it by working with the ministry to achieve results because this intervention will go a long way to address some of the biggest challenges the country is facing,” she said.
Mrs Edu told the WFP delegation that over 133 million people in Nigeria are affected by multidimensional poverty, adding that the National Homegrown School Feeding was one aspect of the Zero Hunger Project.
“The Ministry will be working on different nutritional food programmes that will target pregnant women, children under the age of five years and school pupils.
”Feeding persons who are affected by humanitarian crises, the aged, including refugees that have found themselves within our space.
”Currently, we have over 80,000 persons living as refugees across Nigeria,” she said.
She said that the ministry had introduced an innovative way of rejigging the humanitarian response in the country.
“Part of the innovation we are bringing on board is what we call humanitarian hub because we want to create 774 of these humanitarian hubs in each local government across Nigeria,” the minister said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned the former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, and his son, Mr Abudlazizz Malami, on a five-count charge of abetting terrorism financing and illegal possession of firearms.
They were arraigned before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja, where they pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In the charge, the former AGF was accused of knowingly abetting terrorism financing by refusing to prosecute terrorism financiers whose case files were brought to his office as the AGF in the last administration for prosecution.
Recall that the secret police had arrested Mr Malami, shortly after his release from Kuje prison in Abuja more than two weeks ago after Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted him and two others bail in the sum of N500 million in another case involving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mr Malami and his son are also accused by the DSS of engaging in conduct in preparation to commit act of terrorism by having in their possession and without licence, a Sturm Magnum 17-0101 firearm, 16 Redstar AAA 5’20 live rounds of Cartridges and 27 expended Redstar AAA 5’20 Cartridges.
His arrest in January followed weeks of reports of surveillance by the secret police in front of the prison facility since the time Mr Malami, his wife and son were remanded there over the money laundering charges.
As per reports, Mr Malami had gathered that he would be picked up upon regaining his temporary freedom and so decided to wait out the DSS. However, after his eventual emergence, the operatives took the ex-AGF into detention again.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) has initiated an inter-agency partnership with the Centre for Rural Development (CERUD) to establish the Coastal Community First Responder Programme (CCFRP).
The first responder programme is aimed at promoting safe and secure transportation across Lagos waterways.
The initiative was unveiled during a meeting between a LASWA delegation and officials of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development at the secretariat in Alausa.
Leading the LASWA team, Mr Olademeji Shittu said the programme is designed to reduce fatalities and material losses on Lagos waterways, particularly in hard-to-reach coastal communities.
According to Mr Shittu, the CCFRP will focus on empowering community volunteers through targeted capacity building for sustainable rural development, while also equipping them with relevant skills that can enhance employability within the maritime sector.
He noted that trained volunteers will serve as community-based first responders, working in close collaboration with LASWA to strengthen search and rescue operations.
Providing the rationale for the programme, Mr Shittu highlighted the recurring cases of marine incidents and fatalities on Lagos waterways, often worsened by delayed emergency response in remote coastal areas.
He explained that residents of these communities are usually the first on the scene during accidents, making it necessary to formalise their role through structured training and partnerships.
He added that the collaboration with CERUD will help create a sustainable framework that aligns community development with safety and emergency response, while fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility among coastal residents.
According to a statement, the Coastal Community First Responder Programme is expected to enhance emergency preparedness on Lagos waterways, improve response times during marine incidents, and contribute to safer water transportation across the state.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have suspended their planned protest in the Federal Capital Territory and instructed workers under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to return to their duties with immediate effect.
The directive followed an overnight engagement involving labour leaders, the Minister of the FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, and members of the Senate Committee on the FCT.
The meeting, which began late on Monday, stretched into the early hours of Tuesday, culminating in an agreement that led to the unions’ decision to halt the protest action and restore normal activities across FCTA offices.
This comes after Justice Emmanuel Subilim of the National Industrial Court issued an interim order restraining the NLC, TUC, and three others from embarking on any form of industrial action or protest.
Ruling on an ex-parte application filed by the Minister of the FCT and the FCT Administration, Justice Subilim granted an interim order restraining the 1st to 5th respondents and their privies or agents from embarking on strike pending the hearing of the motion on notice, also ordering the 5th-9th defendants who are security agencies to ensure no break down of law and order.
The ex-parte motion, which was filed by the counsel to Mr Wike and the FCTA, Ogwu Onoja, submitted that the Chairman of the FCT council had sent a message of mobilization to members and affiliated unions for a mass protest scheduled for February 3.
This move, he noted, was in violation of the orders of court, adding that after the ruling of the court on January 27, the order of the court was served on the defendants, same day the NLC and TUC issued a statement to all affiliated unions to intensify and sustain the strike.
The statement jointly signed by both unions directed that the striking workers should resume the strike as the unions’ counsel, Mr Femi Falana, has filed an appeal against the interlocutory ruling.
He further pointed out that With the statement, JUAC issued a circular directing all employees to continue the strike.
This position they say is aimed at causing break down of law and order in the Nations capital.
The court subsequently adjourned the case until February 10 for hearing.
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