Metro

33.1m Nigerians to face food crisis in 2025– Report

Published

1 month ago

November 2, 2024

A new report released on Friday by the Cadre Harmonisé (CH) for the month of October has predicted that as many as 33.1 million Nigerians in 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would face acute food and nutrition crisis between June and August 2025, an increase from the approximately 25 million people currently experiencing food crisis in the country.

The prediction which was contained in the CH Analysis Report released during a workshop in Abuja, was jointly conducted by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP), the Nigerian Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and other partners.

The report also the states projected to be affected as Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Taraba, Katsina, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi, Plateau, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, and Benue.

Others are Cross River, Enugu, Edo, Abia, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kwara, Ogun, Lagos, Rivers, and the FCT, which also includes 514,474 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno, Sokoto, and Zamfara.

FAO Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Kouacou Koffy, who spoke at the presentation of the report, called for urgent attention and a unified approach to address food and nutrition security in the country.

“With the concerted efforts of the government, CH stakeholders, and the international community, we can move closer to alleviating hunger and reducing suffering for Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations.

“We are facing unprecedented challenges affecting livelihoods and food and nutrition security globally, regionally, and nationally,” he said.

Koffy lamented that Nigeria is experiencing a combination of shocks, including economic factors affecting the prices of staple crops and agricultural commodities, climate-related events such as floods and droughts, and insecurity.

He explained that the goal of CH workshops is to analyse available food security data and contributing factors to identify populations and areas at risk of food and nutrition insecurity in the country, with a view to proposing appropriate measures to prevent or mitigate ongoing food crises.

“CH analysis is the most reliable and widely accepted early warning tool for humanitarian programming, food security, and livelihood response targeting, as well as for prioritising development programmes.”

Also speaking at the workshop,
Temitope Fashedemi, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, pledged the government’s commitment to applying the findings of the report to guide food and nutrition security programmes across states, while Balama Dauda, CH Focal Person for the National Programme on Food Security, identified key drivers of the food crisis as high prices of foodstuffs and non-food items, flooding, and insecurity.

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Metro

Lungu: Zambian law association calls for respect of court decisions

Published

16 hours ago

December 12, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Law Association of Zambia (LAZ) has called on citizens to respect court decisions amid widespread criticism over the barring of ex-President Edgar Lungu from contesting the 2026 presidential election by the Constitutional Court.

The association, while reacting to the ruling, urged those affected by the court’s judgement to respect its decision.

The Constitutional Court had determined that Lungu was ineligible to contest future elections, having already served two terms as Republican President, but the ruling has generated criticism from Lungu and opposition figures who see it as a ploy by President Hakainde Hichilema to silence the opposition.

However, LAZ, in a statement issued by its President Lungisani Zulu, noted that the decision departs from the Court’s earlier rulings in cases such as Daniel Pule and Others vs Attorney General and Others, Bampi Aubrey Kapalasa and Another vs The Attorney General, and Legal Resources Foundation vs Edgar Lungu and the Attorney General.

Zulu expressed concern over the potential risks posed by inconsistent rulings from the apex court, cautioning that such fluctuations could erode public confidence in the Judiciary.

However, Zulu reiterated the importance of respecting the Court’s authority.

“Under Part 8 of the Constitution of Zambia (Amendment) Act No. 2 of 2016, judicial authority, derived from the people of Zambia, is vested in the courts, which have the final say on constitutional interpretation,” he stated.

Zulu further stressed that the Constitutional Court plays a critical role in settling constitutional disputes and underscored the need for citizens to uphold the integrity of governance institutions, including the judiciary.

“At the same time, in line with Article 118 of the Constitution, we strongly remind the Judiciary to ensure that judicial power is exercised in a just and fair manner,” he added.

The LAZ President expressed hope that consistent and fair judicial decisions would enhance accountability and maintain public confidence in the Judiciary, a cornerstone of Zambia’s democratic governance.

Metro

Nigeria: President Tinubu’s reforms, economic policies yielding positive results— Minister

Published

16 hours ago

December 12, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Nigeria’s Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has backed the reforms and economic policies embarked upon by President Bola Tinubu since coming into office in 2023, saying they are yielding significant positive results despite the hardship currently being faced by citizens.

Matawalle, who disclosed in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by the Director, Information and Public Relations in Ministry of Defence, Henshaw Ogubike, said Tinubu’s policies, which include the new tax reforms and several key reforms across various sectors, were already contributing to a turnaround in the country’s economy and would, in the long run, be of benefit to all Nigerians.

The former Zamfara State governor also urged critics of the Tinubu administration, particular those from Northern Nigeria, to be positive in their narrations.

“In the light of ongoing criticism, particularly from some quarters in Northern Nigeria, I urge critics to be positive in their narratives,” he said in the statement.

“I also call on citizens to remain steadfast in their support for the President and to reject divisive narratives.

“It is crucial for Nigerians to stand united behind Mr. President, who is diligently working hard to revitalise our economy through a series of effective policies, programmes, and reforms.

“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, we are witnessing a renewed commitment to the safety and well-being of all Nigerians, and I encourage everyone to recognise the positive changes taking place,” the minister said.

Highlighting the new tax reforms, Matawalle described them as pivotal elements in the country’s economic turnaround, emphasizing that the reforms were designed to create a more equitable tax system, which would enhance revenue generation for the government while easing the financial burden on ordinary citizens and small businesses.

“By broadening the tax base and ensuring that everyone pays their fair share, President Tinubu is laying the groundwork for sustainable economic growth.

“These reforms will not only increase government revenues but also stimulate investment and job creation across various sectors,” Matawalle explained.

According to him, this will foster a more business-friendly environment, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, which are essential for driving economic progress.