The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr Matthias Schmale, says $1.3 billion is needed to reach six million people in North-East Nigeria with humanitarian assistance in 2023.
This is just as the global body, noted that its target of six million, represents an increase of 500,000 people from the 5.5 million people identified for assistance in 2022.
Schmale disclosed this on Thursday in Yola, during the launch of the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan for the North-East.
According to him, US$1.3 billion is needed to provide critical lifesaving assistance to 6 million people suffering from the devastating impact of the continuing 13-year-long non-international armed conflict.
Through the Humanitarian Response Plan, 120 operational partners will 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 signs of abating, explained during the launch, that2.4 million people in the region affected by the conflict require urgent support.
“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 6 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.
The launch featured presentations of National NGOs in Humanitarian action, panel discussions and remarks from the governors of the three states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, who were represented at the event by Hajia Yabawa Kolo, Prof. Maxwell Gidado and Dr Goje Mohammed respectively.
Various speakers urged the Federal Government which has the onus of looking after the welfare of its citizens not to abdicate that responsibility to donors and humanitarian partners.
The British High Commissioner, Ms Catriona Laing, in her remarks, 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, who spoke on behalf of the Federal Government, in her pre-recorded message, said the Nigerian state remains 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.
