The presidential candidate of the Labour Get together, LP, Mr Peter Obi, has described as saddening the warning by the United Nations Worldwide Youngsters’s Emergency Fund, UNICEF, that 31.5 million Nigerians are susceptible to acute starvation and critical meals insecurity between June and August 2024.
In response to him, Nigeria is taken into account among the many 20 hungriest nations on the planet, rating 109 out of 125 international locations measured on the World Starvation Index.
Obi warned that the federal government should take pressing steps to spice up meals manufacturing within the nation to defeat the rising starvation, and attendant anger within the nation, having been given discover of the upcoming hazard.
In a publish on his X deal with on Wednesday, the previous Anambra State governor lamented that the scenario within the nation has turn into extra advanced with the excessive value of dwelling and excessive inflation charge which pervades the financial system.
He expressed disappointment that many Nigerian households now spend nearly all their revenue on meals alone, leaving all different household bills to anybody’s creativeness.
Obi’s phrases: “Now that we’ve got been given discover of the upcoming hazard – the extra variety of Nigerians that may face starvation by June this 12 months, I strongly urge that we work exhausting and put in place measures that may assist us to avert it.
“I used to be alarmed when in January 2023, the Cadre Harmonisé, a UNICEF publication, indicated that almost 25 million Nigerians had been susceptible to going through starvation between June and August 2023 if pressing actions weren’t taken.
“I used to be very involved and nervous like each different Nigerian and I then known as on the federal government of the day to take pressing steps and stem the tide of impending starvation within the nation.
“By the tip of 2023, round 26.5 million Nigerians had been then reported to be susceptible to starvation within the nation. By the tip of 2023, round 26.5 million Nigerians had been then reported to be susceptible to starvation in 2024, which was nonetheless of grave concern to Nigerians.
“It’s saddening once more to notice that the identical publication, Cadre Harmonisé is once more warning that extra Nigerians, to the tune of 31.5 million, are susceptible to acute starvation and critical meals insecurity between June and August 2024.
“The scenario has now turn into extra advanced with the excessive value of dwelling and excessive inflation charge which pervades our financial system. At present, with our rating of 109 out of 125 international locations measured on the World Starvation Index, Nigeria is taken into account among the many 20 hungriest nations on the planet.
“Many Nigerian households now spend nearly all their revenue on meals alone, leaving all different household bills to anybody’s creativeness.
“I’ve constantly maintained that the surest method to battle starvation in Nigeria is by transferring our nation from consumption to manufacturing, which entails aggressive funding in agriculture by absolutely exploring and cultivating the huge arable lands largely within the Northern elements of the nation.
“Now that we’ve got been given discover of the upcoming hazard – the extra variety of Nigerians that may face starvation by June this 12 months, I strongly urge that we work exhausting and put in place measures that may assist us to avert it. We should take pressing steps to spice up meals manufacturing within the nation to defeat the rising starvation, and attendant anger within the nation.
“With the excessive degree of insecurity and terror assaults in lots of elements of the nation hindering farmers from their agricultural actions, and administration of our financial insurance policies impacting negatively on small companies within the agricultural sector, the federal government should safe the farmers and provides them ample assist for elevated meals manufacturing. Constructing a productive Nigeria stays our focus within the New Nigeria which is feasible.”
