The Nigerian Federal Government has made a substantial food Donation to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in order to support marginalized areas, in an effort to combat hunger in Abuja. The donation consists of 110 bags of millet, 96 bags of garri, 1,392 bags of guinea corn, and 468 bags of maize. 60 bags of millet, 130 bags of guinea corn, 13 bags of maize, and 10 bags of garri were given to the Catholic Church in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a member of CAN, as part of this project.
This declaration was made during a pastoral visit to St. Francis Parish Bagusa by Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja. He said that in order to fight Poverty and hunger in Nigeria, it is crucial to pool resources, and that the food that the church has been given will be given to internally displaced people (IDPs) and those in need. In addition, the Archbishop fed over 381 parishioners who received the Sacrament of Confirmation during the visit, emphasizing the church’s efforts to assist the people in these trying times.
WFP projected that in 2023, over 19M Nig. will be severely food insecure.
In an address that emphasized the value of cooperation and compared it to the biblical story of the five thousand people being fed with five loaves and two fish, he stated his conviction that no one should go hungry in a nation as fortunate as Nigeria. Nigeria has serious problems with food insecurity, which are made worse by a number of variables like COVID-19, conflict, unstable economies, and climate change. The World Food Programme (WFP) projected that in 2023, over 19 million Nigerians will be severely food insecure, with the country’s northern areas most severely affected by protracted violence and displacement.
A number of households are now unable to purchase basic necessities due to rising inflation, mainly in food prices, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The average cost of feeding in Nigeria has increased by more than 100% over the previous five years, according to experts like Dr. Oyebanji Filani, an economist with expertise in feeding security. His observations highlight the catastrophic situation. Since living expenses in urban places like Abuja are expensive, many people are finding it difficult to achieve their daily nutritional demands.
Local churches & community leaders will oversee the distribution process.
Furthermore, the latest distribution by the federal government is a part of a larger effort to address the hunger situation. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) will distribute the food supplies, which include 1,392 bags of guinea corn, 468 bags of maize, 110 bags of millet, and 96 bags of garri, to internally displaced people (IDPs) and other vulnerable populations. Local churches and community leaders will oversee the distribution process and make sure the supply gets to the people who need it the most.
Concerns have been raised over the effectiveness and transparency of the procedure due to the lack of clarity around the beneficiary selection criteria and the distribution timeline. Similar programs, including the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), were started in the past with the goal of feeding pupils all over Nigeria. At its height, the program served almost 9 million children, thus it has had some success. However, it has also encountered difficulties, such as logistical problems, corruption, and delays in food delivery.
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More accountability in such efforts has been demanded by critics, such as the Nigerian Human Rights organization SERAP Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), who highlight the need for a more systematic approach to feeding supplies distribution to guarantee that help reaches the intended beneficiaries. Experts advise the government to concentrate on long-term solutions, such as increasing local agricultural production and enhancing access to inexpensive feeding supplies for all Nigerians, in addition to increasing the frequency and volume of donations in order to maximize the effectiveness of such programs. Furthermore, strengthening monitoring and assessment systems helps guarantee that funds are allocated effectively and efficiently, benefiting the most vulnerable.