ECOWAS, WFP donates $1.6million to fight hunger in North West

Amidst increasing banditry and displacement of residents in the North West region, the Economic Community Of West African States State (ECOWAS) Commission and the World Food Program (WFP) have provided $1.6million in funding support to tackle malnutrition and poverty in Kastina and Sokoto states.

This is just as WFP is set to receive 500 metric tonnes of wheat donations from the Ukrainian government on Sunday, with the plan to distribute it in the North West region to fight increasing hunger.

The Deputy Head of Programme WFP  Manuela Reinfield disclosed this at the launch of the second phase of the ECOWAS, WFP, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affair Stabilization Project for 2024/2025 yesterday at the Kastina  State Government House.

She noted that the project took off at the right time, given the deteriorating food security situation with the insecurity situation in the region.

She stated that under the program they intend to provide monthly cash transfer support of N11,500  to about 14,500 beneficiaries in Kastina and Sokoto states for 6 months.

The WFP official said they will also provide  nutritious food  comprising of corn-soya blend, to pregnant and lactating women and their children under 2 years to prevent malnutrition

She disclosed that Kastina and Zamfara states will also get unconditional food assistance with the Wheat grain expected to arrive in the country  from Ukraine on Sunday 

She said they would provide them with unconditional food assistance with wheat. It’s Ukrainian wheat that should arrive here on
Sunday.

The Permanent Representative of Nigeria in the  ECOWAS Amb Sani Nuhu said ECOWAS had established a Stabilization Fund to assist  victims of terrorism and banditry in the Northwest 

He said, “ECOWAS Commission came up with the idea of setting aside $1 million to be given to Nigeria every year to come up with a program to provide social alleviation initiatives to victims of insecurity in the northeast and the Northwest.

He said ECOWAS had selected WFP as implementing partner to ensure that the assistant get to the intended beneficiaries.

Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda commended ECOWAS, WFP, and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs for their support, saying the project will empower and transfer best practices to the state institutions during implementation as there will be room for continuity and technical collaboration even after the expiration of the project

He assured that the state will be ready to provide a conducive environment for continuous partnership with the donor partners.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Olumuyiwa  Enitan, in his remarks, stated that beneficiaries of the program were carefully selected in line with global practices as they are the most vulnerable in the state

He said 14,694 vulnerable populations have been selected from Katsina and Sokoto state saying that 7,347 beneficiaries were selected across 2 local government areas of Katsina state.

He said these efforts were to ensure a future where peace, stability, and prosperity are not just aspirations or mere wish thinking, but realities for all.