Tanko Sununu, the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, has raised alarm over the suspension of food aid by the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP), which has left over 300,000 children in the North-East vulnerable to malnutrition.
He made this statement in Abuja on Monday while inaugurating the House of Representatives’ ad hoc committee on flood management and response.
The warning follows a previous alert by WFP in July, which stated that around 1.3 million people in the region would face severe consequences if emergency food and nutrition assistance were halted. The agency disclosed that it would be forced to close more than 150 nutrition clinics in Borno and Yobe states, depriving over 300,000 children under the age of two from life-saving care. David Stevenson, the WFP’s Country Director for Nigeria, further emphasized the gravity of the situation, revealing that nearly 31 million Nigerians are now experiencing acute hunger, marking a new record.
Sununu explained that the WFP suspended its operations “just a few days ago,” highlighting the immediate negative impact on children across the region. He pointed out that the global decline in humanitarian funding is also affecting Nigeria.
“The suspension of WFP activities has left over 300,000 children at risk of malnutrition, with more than 200,000 already receiving treatment,” Sununu said. He underscored the dire situation, attributing the ongoing crisis to inadequate funding for critical aid programs.
The minister also noted that poverty in Nigeria is disproportionately concentrated in the north, where roughly 65 percent of the country’s impoverished population resides. Furthermore, he revealed that more than 70 percent of this group consists of smallholder farmers, many of whom have lost their farmlands and livelihoods due to devastating floods and droughts.
In light of these challenges, Sununu assured that the federal government is ramping up its efforts to alleviate the suffering of vulnerable communities. He highlighted the National Social Investment Program (NSIP) as a key initiative aimed at providing much-needed support.
Under the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program (GEEP), smallholder farmers have been offered interest-free loans of N300,000 each to help them recover from their losses. Additionally, over 5.9 million households and approximately 25 million Nigerians have benefitted from N419 billion in conditional cash transfers.
“These measures are part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving the well-being of Nigerians, especially in times of economic distress,” Sununu noted, emphasizing that the government is dedicated to preserving the dignity of its citizens.
He reassured the public that the federal government, with the help of the House of Representatives, will continue to protect vulnerable families and restore their livelihoods.
