UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon has said that
the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF) earmarked $22.4 million (N8.1
billion) to address coronavirus pandemic and humanitarian crisis in
Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
According to him, this year’s allocation is the largest since NHF
launched it in February 2017.
“Today’s earmark comes at a critical time as Northeast Nigeria enters
its 11th year of a protracted crisis while grappling with coronavirus
(COVID-19) pandemic,” he said.
While lamenting humanitarian crisis, Kallon said: “Before and during
the COVID-19 response, NHF has proven to be a rapid and flexible
funding tool enabling aid actors to adapt to fast-changing
humanitarian emergencies in region.
“With the new coronavirus now spreading across the country, the Fund
swiftly provided emergency funds to procure essential personal
protective equipment for frontline aid workers when the pandemic
reached Nigeria.
“This allocation (N8.1 billion) will further support urgent efforts in
insurgency affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.”
He said the UN and humanitarian partners estimate that 7.9 million
people were already in dire need of humanitarian assistance this year
before onset of COVID-19 pandemic.
According to him, the effects of the pandemic exacerbate humanitarian
needs, including health services, food security and livelihoods.
“The impact of COVID-19 has made it even more essential for donors to
contribute to NHF and support aid organisations in adapting their
responses,” he said, adding that they will also provide critical
life-saving assistance.”
He further disclosed that four out of five internally displaced
persons (IDPs) are living in camps are in overcrowded conditions.
He said that the camps are made of “makeshift and temporary shelters”
built in close proximity to each other.
He said the raised funds will help ensure that critical, life-saving
assistance reaches Nigeria’s most vulnerable while curtailing the most
devastating consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.
He added that in 2020, $246 million (N88.56 billion) are needed for
COVID-19 specific humanitarian actions in northeast.
This, he said is in addition to $834 million (N300.14 billion) funding
needed to provide urgent aid to 5.9 million people across the three
conflict-affected states.
