The Managing Director of North East Development Commission (NEDC), Mohammed Alkali has said that measures are in place to avert food insecurity and malnutrition in the Northeast. According to him, the measures were adopted at a Stakeholders’ roundtable meeting with humanitarian partners in the region. While announcing the measures at the weekend in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, he disclosed: “Over 2.6 million people are at risk facing food crisis in Borno state,” stating that the commission has already taken action to respond to threats of food insecurity and malnutrition. He said that the commission is mobilizing resources to stockpile food items avert looming famine and malnutrition among children.
Besides, he added: “With the Cadre Harmonize report and what is being discussed with stakeholders, we’ll identify where the gaps are. “What kind of food to be stockpiled. We can do so, so that when the incident happens, we pray that it shouldn’t occur,” assuring that the commission will be able to respond promptly to save people’s lives. Alkali noted that there is the need for a coordinated approach by all actors in the humanitarianism and development cycle; while responding to the needs of Boko Haram victims.
He said that henceforth; a fortnight meeting of the stakeholders will be convened to identify gaps to avoid duplication of responses to IDPs’ needs. NEDC’s Executive Director for Humanitarian Affairs, Musa Yashi said that the stakeholders and humanitarian partners’ meeting was to adopt and implement ways of streamlining the operations of all humanitarian activities. In their contributions, representatives of State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA) from Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states and other partners stressed the need for a coordinated meeting to avert food insecurity and malnutrition. They also urged the commission to intervene and provide shelter, livelihood support, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and healthcare to IDP camps and host communities.
