News

Food Scarcity: Reps Move To Host National Summit On Food Security And Nutrition

Published

11 months ago

February 28, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

…urge FG to improve short-term food subsidies to dry season farmers

By Gloria Ikibah

As part of its efforts to tackle the dangers of food scarcity across the country, the House of Representatives has resolved to organise a National Summit on Food Security and Nutrition.

In the bid to address the challenge, the House also tasked the Federal Government to improve on short-term food subsidies, assistance to farmers, especially those engaged in dry season farming, improved supply chain control to reduce wastage, and short-term price control.

This resolve was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgen national importance on “Food scarcity in Nigeria, Nutritional dangers and urgent need for more Government remedial measures to address food shortages ahead of the rainy/farming season”, by Rep. Chike Okafor, on Wednesday at plenary.

Leading the debate, Rep. Okafor decried that the spreading issue of food scarcity in Nigeria and the impending nutritional dangers that accompany it, calls for urgent action towards proffering lasting solution to the challenges.

The motion reads: “As we approach the farming season, it is imperative that we take immediate action to avert a worsening crisis and ensure the availability of food and well-being of our citizens.

“The House is aware that the current state of food scarcity in Nigeria poses a grave threat to the health and livelihoods of millions of our people. Insufficient access to nutritious food not only leads to hunger and malnutrition but also exacerbates existing health conditions and undermines the overall development of our nation.

“The House is also aware about the various positive interventions by Mr. President, Sen. Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR), and the commitment of Mr. Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas in the 10th National Assembly Legislative agenda for wellness and wellbeing of Nigerians, it is worthy to note that the Rainy and farming season is fast approaching, and the looming specter of food shortages looms large.

“Without adequate remedial measures in place, we risk plunging our country into deeper turmoil, with far-reaching social, economic, and political implications, hence the need for a purposeful gathering and more government import waivers for farming and agricultural equipment in Nigeria.

“The House is worried that Nutrition and Food is the most important existential challenge in Nigeria today, because 24.9 million Nigerians are presently in an acute/critical stage of hunger, and this is considered to be an emergency, while 85.8 million Nigerians have insufficient food consumption and out of this number, 47.7 million Nigerians have a crisis or above crisis level in terms of food-based survival margin.

“The House is also worried that peaceful protests is taking place now in some states with citizens groaning due to hunger and demanding immediate government intervention.

“The House is cognizant that the government needs to increase resources to support smallholder farmers and agrarian communities, ensuring they have the necessary inputs, tools, and infrastructure to enhance food production through short-term subsidies as the Government continues to strengthen the existing food distribution networks and mechanisms to ensure equitable access to essential food items across all regions of the country”.

The House also mandated its Committee on Nutrition and Food Security in conjunction with House Committee on Agriculture Production and Service and Committee on Agriculture College and Institutions to urgently organise National Food Security and Nutrition Summit with a view to address the current shortage of food and nutrition dangers with a view of finding lasting solution to the food crises facing the country.

The House also directed all relevant Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organizations, and private sector partners to actively participate in the summit and contribute towards the formulation of comprehensive solutions to ensure more Legislative input for Food security and Nutrition for all Nigerians.

The House unanimously adopted the motion and mandated its Committee on Nutrition and Food Security and other relevant Committees to ensure compliance and report back to the House within three legislative weeks.

News

Speaker Abbas expresses sorrow over Niger tanker explosion, multiple fatalities

Published

34 minutes ago

January 19, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has described the tanker explosion in Niger State as tragic and unfortunate, saying the death toll is alarming.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that a tanker on high speed conveying Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) had crashed on Saturday morning at Dikko Junction, Niger State, along the Abuja-Kaduna highway

The Niger State authorities had put the death toll at 86, with 55 people injured and taken to hospital. The corpses have been given a mass burial at Dikko.

Speaker Abbas, in a condolence message signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, lamented that the accident caused the loss of many lives in a terrific and shocking manner.

The Speaker, who called for proper investigation of the accident by relevant authorities, urged motorists to be cautious while driving.

Speaker Abbas commiserated the families of those who lost their lives while praying for the speedy recovery of those who sustained injuries.

He also extended his condolences to the government and the people of Niger State while praying to Allah to grant the deceased Jannatul Firdaus.

News

Fear as Trump’s deportation raids in US to start in Chicago immediately afte inauguration

Published

1 hour ago

January 19, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

US President-elect, Donald Trump’s incoming administration plans to immediately order a series of deportation raids targeting illegal immigrants after his inauguration.

Chicago is expected to be the first major city targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as part of Operation Safeguard, the New York Times reported, citing two people familiar with planning the undertaking.

The massive deportation operation is expected to target criminals and gang members in the United States illegally and run for one week.

Trump has promised to conduct the largest deportation program in U.S. history.

Up to 200 ICE agents are being sent to Chicago to help kick off the operation on Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported. The agency has already asked agents to volunteer for the post-inauguration raids.

“There’s gonna be a big raid across the country,” Tom Homan, who will be in charge of U.S. borders once Trump takes office, told Fox News in an interview.

Homan has previously said he will instruct ICE agents to carry out raids on illegal immigrants at their workplaces.

In addition to Chicago, the sweeping crackdown will also target other major U.S. cities with large immigrant populations.

Trump is set to take the oath of office on Monday, January 20, in an inauguration that will take place indoors.

News

Hajj: CSO lauds NAHCON’s selection of new Saudi-based service provider

Published

1 hour ago

January 19, 2025

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

A faith-based civil society organization, CSO that monitors and reports on Hajj and Umrah activities, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, for selecting a different Saudi-based Hajj service provider for the 2025 Hajj season.

It said the decision would create healthy competition among service providers interested in efficiently, qualitatively, and satisfactorily serving Nigerian pilgrims.

The CSO, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Muhammed, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and made available to our correspondent on Sunday in Abuja, said the quest for improved Hajj services has been a major challenge for Nigerian pilgrims owing to the repeated failure of providing satisfactory services.

”We applauded the decision to pick another service provider that will cater for the needs of pilgrims within the Masha’ir areas during the five days of Hajj,” he said

The national coordinator, who is currently in Saudi Arabia to monitor the pre-Hajj arrangements, said available information shows that the new company, Mashariq Al Dhahabia, is an experienced provider that has served top-rated Hajj countries, like Indonesia and Malaysia, and ranked among the top five Hajj service providers by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

“The company served 249 706 which is the largest number of Hajj pilgrims during the 2023 hajj. They were awarded as the Best Hajj Service Providers during the 2022 Hajj by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,” he stated.

IHR said it further understood that NAHCON is planning to recruit another service provider to provide services for very important personalities, VIP pilgrims so as not to repeat the experience of previous years, which is also a desired step forward.

It, however, urged NAHCON to set a parameter of performance for the newly selected service providers to serve as a baseline for determining continuous patronage, advising that such criteria should be based on pilgrims’ satisfaction and adherence to contractual terms.