Metro

Chad begs local, foreign partners for help after declaring food emergency amid severe hunge

Published

3 years ago

June 3, 2022

One of Africa’s poorest countries, Chad, has appealed to its local and foreign partners to come to its aid as extreme hunger looms in the arid country, leading to the government declaring a food emergency.

The food emergency was declared on Thursday Chadian military leader Mahamat Idriss Déby in a decree while also calling “all national and international partners to help the population” who are starving as a result of a drought that has ravaged the impoverished country.

The appeal comes as a meeting between the AU chairperson, Macky Sall and the the Chairman of the AU Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat and Russian President Vladimir Putin, is scheduled to hold on Friday.

At the meeting, the African leaders will try and mediate in the war in Ukraine and discuss the release of stocks of grain and fertilizer whose blockage is affecting importing nations, with most African countries bearing a bigger brunt of the Russian-Ukraine war.

In a message addressed to leaders of European countries during a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, Sall had asked the EU heads to do everything “to release the grain stocks available” in Ukraine but blocked because of the Russian offensive that organizes a blockade in the Black Sea and prohibits access to the port of Odessa.

The Senegal President also spoke of “the catastrophic scenario of shortages and generalized price increases” as well as raising the issue of the impact of Western sanctions imposed on Russia on the African.

According to the United Nations in a report late last year, around 5.5 million Chadians, or more than a third of the population, were in need of urgent humanitarian aid as drought-nduced famine had continued ravage the nation.

However, the situation has worsened following the war in Ukraine which had put serious strain on the government leading to the appeal and the food emergency.

Related Topics:#CHAD Drought Famine Featured Food Emergency

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Metro

Zambia: Expert warns of food security threat due to climate change

Published

3 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

A prominent Zambian climate-smart agriculture expert, Oliver Bulaya, has warned of a collapse of the county’s agricultural sector with a potential threat to food security due to the worsening impact of climate change.

Bulaya, who bared his mind in an interview with Zambia Monitor on Friday, warned that ignoring the crisis could lead to severe disruptions in the country’s food supply and economy.

“Unless concerted efforts are made, the country will continue facing dire consequences from climate change,” the expert noted.

He lamented a growing trend of farmers relocating to regions experiencing above-normal rainfall, such as the northern block, as they struggle with losses caused by climate variability.

Bulaya emphasized that the once-reliable rainfall areas like North-Western Zambia are now experiencing lower precipitation, as seen during the 2023/2024 farming season and cautioned that poor farming practices, which had already strained the Southern region, could lead to similar challenges in other parts of the country if proactive measures were not implemented.

Metro

Outrage over murder of Nigerian beaten to death by South Africans inside estate security office

Published

8 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian community, under the auspices of Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa (NICASA), has raised the alarm over the murder of a 37-year-old Nigerian, Julius Chukwunta, who was beaten to death by four South Africans inside an estate.

According to the association, Chukwunta, a native of Aninri Local Government Area in Enugu State, was reportedly attacked on Saturday, December 7, while driving to his residence in Midrand Protea Estate.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the President-General of NICASA, Dr Frank Onyekwelu, Chukwunta was blocked by the four men while approaching his residence.

Onyekwelu stated that information available to the association noted that after attempting to pass through, Chukwunta was met with resistance by the assailants, prompting him to seek help at the security office of the estate.

“At that moment, the four men allegedly attacked him, leaving him severely injured with a head wound,” the PG said.

“His female companion, who was sitting in the car, rushed to the security office and discovered him bleeding on the ground.

“In spite of attempts to call for help, the security office and residents did not assist in calling the police or an ambulance.

“After an hour, Chukwunta’s partner contacted her father, who, along with other family members, took him to Tembisa General Hospital.

“Chukwunta was placed on life support but later succumbed to his injuries and died at the Tembisa General Hospital on December 10, 2024.”

Onyekwelu also confirmed that the case was reported to the police by Chukwunta’s partner at the Midrand Police Station and was registered under file number 262/12/2024.

The NICASA President said the four suspects, aged 20, 24, 27, and 28, were arrested, and the case was presented in Alexandra Magistrate Court on December 13, 2024, where they were charged with murder.

“The court proceedings on December 18, 2024, saw three of the suspects granted bail of R10,000 each, while the fourth had not yet applied for bail. The case was adjourned to February 3, 2025.”

Onyekwelu however, expressed disappointment at the proceedings, wondering why three of the suspects were released on bail and vowed that the Nigerian community would continue to demand justice for Chukwunta and support his family.

He emphasised that the community would not rest until justice was served and the value of Nigerian lives was upheld in South Africa.