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STARVATION! People eating grass & peanut shells in Darfur as hunger crisis engulfed Sudan Photos

Published

8 months ago

May 4, 2024

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Time is running out to prevent starvation in Darfur, in western Sudan, a UN agency has warned, as escalating violence devastates the African nation.

People have been forced to consume “grass and peanut shells,” the regional director for Eastern Africa of the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday. “If assistance doesn’t reach them soon, we risk witnessing widespread starvation and death in Darfur and across other conflict-affected areas in Sudan,” Michael Dunford added.

Sudan has been gripped by civil war since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). It quickly descended into a brutal conflict characterized by reports of sexual and genocidal violence and civilian casualties, triggering an exodus of refugees.

On Thursday, two International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) drivers were killed by gunmen in South Darfur, in an attack that left three other staff members injured, according to the humanitarian organization.

The ICRC team was attacked en route to assess the crisis among communities affected by armed violence in the region, the organization said.

The latest surge in violence comes as the RSF encircles North Darfur’s capital, El Fasher.

In the city and its surrounding localities, there have been “increasing arbitrary killings,” systematic “burning of entire villages” and “escalating air bombardments,” the UN deputy humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Toby Hayward, said on Thursday.

Hayward added that El Fasher is the only city in Darfur that has not been captured by the RSF and hosts thousands of people who have been displaced by the war. At least 500,000 of those sheltering in the city have been displaced from violence elsewhere in Sudan, according to the UN’s children’s agency (UNICEF).

More than 36,000 people have been forced to flee their homes in El Fasher in recent weeks, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.

At least 43 people have been killed in and around the city since the escalation of fighting a little over two weeks ago, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said on Thursday.

“Recent attacks on more than a dozen villages in western El Fasher have resulted in horrific reports of violence, including sexual violence, children injured and killed, homes set on fire, and destruction of critical civilian supplies and infrastructure,” Russell detailed.

Meanwhile, deliveries of food assistance in Darfur “have been intermittent due to fighting and endless bureaucratic hurdles” and at least 1.7 million people within the region are experiencing emergency levels of hunger, according to the World Food Programme.

The latest escalation of violence around El Fasher has halted aid convoys coming from Chad’s Tine border crossing – a recently opened humanitarian corridor that passes through North Darfur’s capital,” the WFP added. Restrictions imposed by authorities in the coastal town of Port Sudan have hindered aid deliveries, the WFP said, preventing the transportation of relief via Adré, a town in neighboring Chad.

More than 8.7 million people, including 4.6 million children, have been displaced by the war in Sudan and 24.8 million need assistance, according to OCHA.

(CNN)

News

Nigeria Congratulates Qatar on National Day

Published

37 minutes ago

December 18, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The Federal Government of Nigeria has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the State of Qatar on the occasion of its National Day, celebrated on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

In a statement signed by the Acting Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, Nigeria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, conveyed fraternal greetings to Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani.

The statement highlighted Qatar’s commitment to promoting global peace and its significant contributions to humanitarian services worldwide.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria commends the commitment and strategic efforts made by the State of Qatar in the promotion of global peace; and more so, the excellent contributions to humanitarian services in different parts of the world,” it read.

Ambassador Tuggar emphasised the strong and growing relations between Nigeria and Qatar, expressing satisfaction with the collaborative efforts to strengthen ties for the mutual benefit of their citizens.

He wished Qatar peace, prosperity, and progress, reaffirming Nigeria’s enduring friendship and support.

This underscores Nigeria’s recognition of its diplomatic relationship with Qatar and its shared commitment to global cooperation and development.

News

Reps Recommends Delisting NECO, UI, Labour Ministry, 21 Others From 2025 Budget

Published

46 minutes ago

December 18, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has called for the removal of the National Examination Council (NECO), University of Ibadan (UI), Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and 21 other federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) from the 2025 budget.

This recommendation follows their repeated failure to account for previous allocations and internally generated revenue.

During an extraordinary session on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, the Committee resolved that these MDAs should be excluded from the budget until they comply with its directives.

Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam, stressed: “The Financial Regulation empowers the National Assembly to exclude any Ministry, Department, or Agency (MDA) that fails to account for their previous appropriations. As such, the listed MDAs should be excluded from the 2025 budget until they appear before this constitutional committee.”

The decision was prompted by the consistent non-compliance of these MDAs despite multiple summons issued by the Committee to scrutinize their financial operations.

Prominent institutions among those recommended for delisting include hospitals, universities, and federal development agencies. Some of the affected MDAs are:

Federal Medical Centre, Bida
Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment
Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria
Nigeria Police Force: Department of Information and Communication Technology
Federal College of Education (Technical), Asaba
Federal College of Education, Yola
Federal Polytechnic Ekowe, Bayelsa State
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi
Federal University of Technology, Minna
Cross River Basin Development Authority
Nigeria Office for Trade Negotiation
National Examination Council (NECO)
Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil
Presidential Amnesty Programme
Galaxy Backbone
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals

Others include the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Authority, National Space Research and Development Agency, Federal Cooperative College (Ibadan), Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority, University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, and Federal School of Survey, Oyo State.

The Committee unanimously recommended that the MDAs in question be delisted from the 2025 budget until they comply with the request for documentation and provide necessary financial clarifications.

News

Reps Call for Revival of NAPAC to Boost Transparency, Accountability

Published

55 minutes ago

December 18, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has called for the revitalization and strengthening of the National Association of Public Accounts Committees (NAPAC) to enhance transparency, accountability, and good governance across Nigeria.

Chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts (PAC), Rep. Bamidele Salam, stated this at the joint sitting of Public Accounts Committees of Senate and House and inauguration of an Adhoc Committee for the reconvening of NAPAC at the National Assembly on Tuesday, emphasised the importance of collaboration among Public Accounts Committees at both federal and state levels.

Formed in 2014, NAPAC comprises 38 chapters nationwide, including the Public Accounts Committees of the Senate, House of Representatives, and all 36 State Houses of Assembly, Rep. Salam noted that the Association has been dormant in recent years, necessitating urgent action to restore its relevance.

He stated, “This Association is a pivotal platform for promoting transparency and accountability in governance. However, in recent times, the Association’s activities have been dormant, necessitating the need for a quick revitalization.

“It is in this context that we are inaugurating this Ad-hoc Committee, tasked with the vital responsibility of reconvening the meeting of NAPAC.”

Salam outlined committee’s objectives, including reviving NAPAC’s activities, adopting innovative strategies to combat corruption, and collaborating with anti-corruption agencies, civil society, and the media.

He also stressed the importance of leveraging partnerships with continental and regional associations such as AFROPAC, WAPAC, and SADCOPAC for capacity building and knowledge sharing.

“The task ahead is daunting, but with collective effort, unwavering commitment, and an unshakeable faith in our nation’s potential, I am confident that we shall succeed,” he added.

In an interaction with journalists, thr Committee chairman, stressed plans to engage with the Auditor General of the Federation and Accountant General of the Federation to address delays in submitting reports on Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

“Of course, Nigerians should expect that we’re going to have more productivity, especially in consideration of the report of the Auditor General,” he said.

He noted that only the 2021 Auditor General’s report is currently before the National Assembly, a situation he described as inconsistent with constitutional provisions. Salam expressed the committee’s determination to ensure Nigeria catches up with the 2022 and 2023 reports by next year.

He added, “We’ll also be able to bring more of these agencies of government in line to ensure that all monies appropriated by the National Assembly are spent judiciously, efficiently, and in a lawful manner.”