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UN report lists Nigeria top of 16 African countries as hunger hotspots
The United Nations has issued a warning about an impending crisis of severe hunger and famine in certain regions, driven by conflict, climate change, and economic stress.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WPF) recently published the “Hunger Hotspots” report, which highlights the devastating impact of conflict, climate change, and economic instability on food security across the world.
The causes of food insecurity in Africa are complex and multifaceted. Some of the key factors include Conflict and political instability, Climate change, Poverty and inequality and rapidly expanding population growth.
The chief economist of the World Food Program, Arif Husain, notes that the intensifying impacts of conflict and climate change are leading to a surge in hunger levels in some nations.
The rating divided the 16 listed countries into three categories. In this classification, Nigeria leads Category 2 which is described as Hotspots of Very High Concern.
“So, you have conflict impacts, climate impacts in the same countries, as well as both the combination of the two turns into economic devastation for people,” Husain said.
The UN’s annual report on food security and nutrition warns that Africa is poised to overtake Asia as the continent with the highest prevalence of hunger by 2030.
Currently, Asia has the largest number of hungry people, with 384.5 million individuals facing hunger in 2023, compared to Africa’s 298.4 million.
However, the report notes a worrying trend of rising undernourishment in Africa, where 20.4% of the population lacks access to nutritious food, and predicts that Africa will soon have the highest number of people experiencing hunger.
Africa’s hunger hotspots have been identified in 16 countries and categorized into three levels of concern: Hotspots of Highest concern (Category 3), Hotspots of Very high concern (Category 2), and Hotspots of Concern (Category 1).
According to the WFP and FAO.2024 Hunger Hotspots analysis, the 16 countries identified as hunger hotspots are presented below;
The data shows that three African countries were identified as Hotspots of highest concern and they include Mali, Sudan and South Sudan. Other countries in this category are Palestine and Haiti bringing the global count to five countries. These countries require the most urgent attention.
Three countries were also identified as countries of very high concern and 10 countries were also identified as just Hotspots.
Some of the countries at the highest hotspots concern are countries/territories with famine or risk of famine, or with populations already in catastrophe.
CREDIT: Business Insider
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No going back on forex, subsidy reforms – Finance minister
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, says there is no going back on the current administration’s reforms in the forex and oil and gas sectors.
Edun made this known when he received the newly assigned Minister of State for Finance, Doris Uzoka Anitez at the Ministry’s headquarters, on Monday.
“Nigeria now have a foreign exchange rate that is market based and also a deregulated oil market pricing which are two reforms that are long overdue over many decades that President Tinubu is currently implementing.
“Therefore as co-ordinating minister of economy, we stand on a threshold of a new dawn to implement these reforms and increase productivity, create jobs and reducing poverty and we are glad to have a minister of state that will help in actualizing the President’s reforms,” he said.
According to him, consultation and collaboration is key to achieving these key reforms both from public and private sector, stressing that ongoing economic policies are showing sustainability and sign of success.
The Minister of State for Finance, in her response, restated her commitment to work with stakeholders in both private and public sectors to ensure economic growth is materialized.
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Rivers: Fubara fond of disobeying judgements, – Amaewhule-led Assembly
The Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly in Rivers State said Governor Siminialayi Fubara has a penchant to disobey courts’ judgements and constitutional provisions.
This is as the lawmakers also vowed to make Fubara’s appointees and permanent secretaries aiding him to circumvent the law have their date with the law.
They stated this during their 65th sitting on Monday in the legislative quarters.
In a statement by Martin’s Wachukwu, Special Assistant on Media to the Speaker, Martins Amaewhule, said the lawmakers reviewed the governor’s actions while deliberating on the recent judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division.
The state legistators comnended the verdict of Justice J.O. Abdulmalik barring government from withdrawing from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State, until the 2024 Appropriation Bill is presented before a properly constituted Assembly describing it as a sound and well considered ruling.
The statement also pointed out that the Assembly on 15th July, 2024 deliberated and resolved on the continuous refusal of Fubara to present the 2024 Rivers State Appropriation Bill to the House.
The lawmakers then took the decision to write to the governor to shut down on expenditure pursuant to Section 122 of the 1999 Constitution.
Enabled by its resolution, the House and Amaewhule filed an action before the Federal High Court to determine whether Fubara could expend or continue to expend from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the State without a valid 2024 Appropriation Law by the State House of Assembly.
The lawmakers prayed the court to invoke the consequences of such constitutional breach by ordering the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Accountant- General of the Federation, some Money Deposit Banks among other defendants to stop the release of moneys or permit the withdrawal of Rivers State funds until Fubara complied with the Constitution which he swore to uphold; and the court decided in favour of the House and the Speaker.
Commenting on the judgement, Amaewhule said, “Since 1st of July, 2024, Governor Fubara has been spending moneys of the State without approval hence the declaration of the shutdown of expenditure.
“Yet, the Governor in his characteristic manner of disobeying judgements of Courts, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and extant laws has continued to circumvent the Law with the aid of Permanent Secretaries, and some individuals who parade themselves as Commissioners. They will certainly have a date with the Law”.
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NAF Airstrikes neutralize ISWAP commander, dozens of others
The Nigerian Airforce says its airstrike has neutralized 50 terrorists, including a high-ranking ISWAP commander known as Bashir Dauda, during an operation in Marte Local Government
Air Commodore Olusola F Akinboyewa, Director, Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, in a statement on Monday night said the precision strikes focused on known ISWAP strongholds in the villages of Tumbun Daribiyar, Jubularam, Buluwa, and Tumbu Karfe, marking a major effort in the ongoing fight against terrorism in Nigeria’s Northeast.
It said an on-ground assessment confirmed that “approximately 50 terrorists, including a high-ranking ISWAP commander known as Bashir Dauda, were neutralized in the operation.”
” Additionally, an ISWAP supply depot in the Jubularam enclave, filled with a substantial cache of food and essential items like beans, millet, and rice, was destroyed, effectively severing a critical resource line for the terrorists.
“These successful air strikes, targeting personnel and logistics, underscore NAF’s ongoing commitment to supporting ground forces and enhancing joint efforts to decimate terrorist strongholds in the region,” he said.
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