UN supports 1.2m northeast farmers

The United Nations says it has distributed fertilisers, seeds and other inputs to 1.2 million farmers displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.

Peter Lundberg, the UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, told
newsmen in Maiduguri that the gesture was to assist farmers who had
returned to their homes in liberated communities.

Lundberg disclosed that the UN and its partners were currently providing
food support to 1. 3 million displaced persons on monthly basis in the
region.

He said that the measure was part of a comprehensive support programme
to enhance food security and tackle humanitarian crisis occasioned by
the insurgency.

“For the UN, food security situation is one of the major issues.

“This means that hundreds and thousands of people do not have enough
to eat as a result of the lean season currently at its peak and
compounded by insecurity, which means people cannot farm like they
used to,” he said.

Lundberg added that the UN had also provided free medical treatment to
two million displaced persons and rehabilitated 60 clinics ravaged by the insurgency.

The UN official added that millions of people were suffering from various
health problems noting that their living conditions increased the risk
of diseases such as meningitis and cholera.

He said that the UN in collaboration with the Federal Government
and development organisations were working to provide food, shelter,
safe drinking water, latrines and drugs to displaced persons in the
troubled region.

He also disclosed that the UN had targeted about 6.9 million out of the 8.9
million displaced persons for immediate humanitarian assistance in
Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and the Lake Chad Basin.

“The UN is committed to provide humanitarian support to people who
fled the conflict; people who have lost everything, people who endure
tremendous loss, pain and suffering, and yet stand tall.

“The affected families displayed incredible strength and resourcefulness,’’ Lundberg said.

According to him, the UN had appealed for $1 billion dollars to fund
its Humanitarian Response Plan in Nigeria, adding that the
international community had so far contributed $470 to the programme.

He reiterated the commitment of the UN to address humanitarian
crisis in the North-East and the Lake Chad Basin.

“I call on all parties to allow for safe, timely and unhindered access
to humanitarian assistance to all areas so that we can reach those
who need our help,” the UN official said. (NAN)

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