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VP Shettima Calls For Concerted Efforts To Tackle Food Insecurity In Nigeria

Published

2 years ago

March 3, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

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By Gloria Ikibah

Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has called on Federal, states and local governments to work together to turn the tide against hunger in Nigeria.

The Vice President stated this on Thursday in Abuja at the inauguration of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security.

Shettima was represented by the Special Assistant to the President on Public Health Focal person on Nutrition Office of the Vice President, Mrs Uju Rochas Anwukah.

He commended the House for the timely initiative to address food shortages, this he said demonstrates a clear understanding and the urgency and complexity before Nigeria.

Anwukah said: “As we gather here today to address the multi faceted issue of food security and the looming nutritional dangers facing our nation, let us remember that we are all threats in this intricate tapestry of transformation. Each of us play a unique role, from policy makers to farmers, from civil society to private sector partners, to move the policies into actions.

“The renewed hope administration under the visionary leadership of President Bola Tinubu is determined to tackle this food shortage and nutritional challenges that we face today. This challenge not only can be changed but will be changed for the interest and progress of our country”.

”As a government and as a people, it is not time for accusations, it is not time to cast blames, it is definitely not time for politics. It is the time to exchange ideas. It is the time for commitments. It is the time to take responsibility. It is a time for patriotism. Let us, Ladies and gentlemen, more than ever, work together to turn the tide against hunger and malnutrition. Let us sew the seed of change and reap the harvest of wellbeing, prosperity and resilience for all Nigerians”, she said.

While inaugurating the committee, Speaker of the House, Rep. Tajuddeen Abbas, lamented that over 35 million children under the age of five years are currently impacted by malnutrition.

According to him, among the 35 million, 12 million are already stunted; three million are wasted while 23.5 million suffer from anemia.

He further stated that an additional 17.7 million individuals are facing hunger, with 2.6 million children confronting severe acute malnutrition in 2024 adding that among women of childbearing age, 7% experience severe acute malnutrition.

He said: “These figures may exacerbate due to the current food inflation rate, which stands at about 33.7% (according to the Central Bank of Nigeria).

“This Committee is very crucial to the vision of the House to ‘be responsive, results-oriented and effective in performing its constitutional mandate towards the security and welfare of Nigerians.

“Nigeria, like the rest of the world, is experiencing a food crisis, exacerbated by climate change, rising inflation and pervasive insecurity. Hence, the decision of the House to set up a Committee that would be dedicated to fashioning legislative measures actions to tackle the menace of food insecurity and malnutrition affecting our people.

“According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) about 26.5 million Nigerians would be grappling with high levels of food insecurity in 2024, while the country is said to have the second highest burden of malnutrition in the world, with 32% children under the age of five stunted or chronically malnourished”.

The Speaker further that the World Food Programme’s September 2023 publication of the ‘Nigeria Hunger Map’ estimates that 24.9 million Nigerians are in an acute or critical stage of hunger, categorized as an emergency, while 85.8 million Nigerians have insufficient food consumption.

Among this population, he continued, 47.7 million Nigerians resort to crisis-level or above-crisis-level food-based coping strategies.

“The above data paints a very gloomy picture requiring urgent legislative action. This is particularly so given that some of the causative factors are issues within the legislative competence of the House to deal with.

The food and nutrition crisis affecting us as a nation is partly caused by global warming and climate change, pervasive insecurity across the country which prevents farmers and herders from engaging in their various agricultural activities, poor irrigation, outdated land tenure system, crude and traditional farm practices on subsistence levels as well as a myriad of other challenges”, he added.

Similarly, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Atiku Bagudu, restated the government’s commitment to puting measures in place to ensure adequate nutrition and food security for Nigerians.

“We have the National Food Security Council Chaired by no less a person than the Vice President, Kashim Shettima. We are participants in the United Nations Food System Transformation as well as the institutional alignment through the Ministry of Agriculture being recognised as the Ministry of Agriculture and that of Food Security.

“This is commendable. We recall that in the last administration under former President Muhammadu Buhari, a national security council was created chaired by the President himself and I was privileged to be the Vice Chair of that council.

“What led to it is the recognition that food security is not an agriculture issue, not a health issue, not an environment issue, not a physical security issue. It is all of it. So we need to have stakeholders around the table so we can appreciate, we can do better. The same thing with nutrition.

“The House of Representatives is helping in addressing the challenges. Mr President has recognized these issues and is committed to addressing them.” Mr Bagudu said.

On his part, the chairman of the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, Rep. Chike Okafor, commended the House leadership for setting up the specialized Committee which focuses on food security and nutrition.

“This is the first time in the history of the Legislature in Nigeria that the leadership of the House thought it necessary to set up a distinct and exclusive Committee for greater legislative attention to critical interventions in the cross-cutting issues of food and nutrition. The creation of this Committee would serve as a swift response to the present economic realities, especially the current unaffordability of basic foods in Nigeria arising from uncontrolled inflation and scarce means”. Hon Okafor said.

He also said that the House would soon convey Food security Summit as part of deliberate measure to address food challenges in Nigeria.

Stakeholders at the meeting commended the House for setting up the food and nutrition committee saying that it would bring legislative backing to food security in Nigeria.

News

Midnight fire engulfs Jos main market destroying ten shops

Published

2 hours ago

March 15, 2026

EMMANUEL AGAJI

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Midnight fire on Saturday destroyed more than 10 shops at the Terminus Market in Jos, Plateau State.

Witnesses said that the incident occurred around 10:00 p.m., after traders had closed for the day.

The latest incident comes three months after a section of the market was gutted by a similar night fire.

Our correspondent, who visited the market on Sunday morning, reports that more than 10 shops were affected, with clothes and shoes burnt to ashes.

The cause of the fire could not be immediately confirmed by market authorities, though some victims suggested it might have been caused by an electrical fault.

Firefighters and emergency responders were said to have acted swiftly to contain the blaze, preventing what many feared could have escalated into a major disaster.

A witness, Mr. Silas Lawrenzo, said that firefighters, including a team from the National Emergency Management Agency, worked alongside the Plateau State Emergency Management Agency, Federal Fire Service, and the Plateau State Fire Service to bring the fire under control.

He said the coordinated and rapid response helped contain the flames, limiting damage and preventing the fire from spreading across the busy commercial hub.

The media reports that the market has experienced three separate fire incidents in the past year, destroying goods worth millions of naira.

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Journalists are professionals deserving Respect- IGP Disu

Published

4 hours ago

March 15, 2026

EMMANUEL AGAJI

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The Inspector General of Police,Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has hailed the professionalism of Nigerian journalists and corrected a misconception about their roles in society cautioning that they should not be treated like beggars, instead accorded the full compliments of professionals deserving of respect

The IGP who commended Federal capital Territory journalists and sought stronger police- media partnership when he spoke as a special guest at the FCT NUJ council congress Saturday, said he has always had a mutually beneficial relationship with the media, recognising their professionalism that is deserving of respect and therefore they should never be treated as beggars

The calm and ever- smiling police chief said, “I have always had a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with journalists. They are professionals who deserve respect and should never be treated as beggars,”

Disu commended them for their role in informing the public and contributing to national development, describing his relationship with the media as one built on mutual respect and professionalism.

He emphasised that journalists should be regarded as respected professionals rather than beggars, noting that the media plays a critical role in society, while calling for stronger collaboration between the police and the media, stressing that a healthy partnership would enhance public trust and improve security communication.

The police chief further urged both police officers and journalists to conduct themselves responsibly at all times, noting that good conduct leaves lasting impressions in society.

Responding, Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Comrade Grace Ike, congratulated the new IGP on his appointment and described him as a longstanding friend of the press.

She expressed confidence in his leadership and assured him of the council’s readiness to collaborate with the police in reporting security matters objectively

Ike also revealed that the IGP would be invited as a special guest to the council’s 2026 Press Week celebration.

She reaffirmed the commitment of the NUJ FCT Council to promoting responsible journalism and supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening security and governance in the territory.

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NPA wins Champions Newspaper’s “Outstanding Agency of the Year Award 2025”

Published

4 hours ago

March 15, 2026

EMMANUEL AGAJI

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The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, was today honoured with the *Outstanding Agency of the Year Award 2025* by Champions Newspaper at its 2025 Awards ceremony held in Lagos.

The Managing Director, who was represented by the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, *Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara*, described the award as recognition of his vigorous leadership in implementing smart initiatives that align with the NPA’s vision to become the *Maritime Logistics Hub for Sustainable Port Services in Africa*.

Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, the Authority’s Spokesman, highlighted the invaluable support of the *Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Dr. Adegboyega Oyetola*, which has been instrumental in achieving these remarkable successes. Key highlights include:

– Sustained port efficiencies contributing to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus of ₦7.5 trillion and ₦6.7 trillion in Q2 and Q3 2025 (per NBS and NESG reports), driven mainly by exports via NPA platforms.
– Successful execution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy for crude and petroleum product sales in Naira, saving billions in FOREX, enhancing energy security, improving trade balance, and creating jobs.
– Completion of Nigeria’s membership in the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), paving the way for the National Single Window (NSW) project.
– Technical guidance enabling a significant rise in transhipment cargo at Lekki Deep Seaport, serving landlocked neighbours and recovering cargo lost to competing ports.
– Pioneering election of a Nigerian agency as President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA) since 1972, with Dr. Dantsoho also leading PAPC, boosting Nigeria’s diplomatic standing and securing re-admission to IMO Category C.

These successes position NPA to deliver major 2025 projects, including the $1 billion reconstruction of Tincan Island Port Complex, rehabilitation of key ports, new deep seaport developments, and eco-friendly operations.

Champions Newspaper conferred the award in appreciation of NPA’s pivotal role as a leading trade facilitation platform driving national economic prosperity through Nigeria’s maritime endowments.