By Ndidi Chukwu
The United Nations (UN) at the commemoration of the World Humanitarian Day in Abuja is pushing for further humanitarian support mainly from international and local sponsors for those adversely affected and ravaged by the insurgency in the North-Eastern part of the Nigeria Mohammed El Munir A.Safiedin Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator for UN in Nigeria at the commemorative event in Abuja put the current figure of displaced people in Nigeria due largely to the insurgency at 1.5 million, while suing for more humanitarian support in supporting various interventions of both the Federal and State Government.
The UN representative in Nigeria said:” Regrettably, Nigeria shares in over 100 million of those in dare need of humanitarian support globally, as a result of the insurgency in North-eastern part of the country. 37 countries are currently adversely affected by Natural and Man-made disasters globally and $20 billion is needed to bridge the gap but $6 billion has been raised so far, leaving a deficit gap of $14 billion”
Currently an estimated population of 5 million people in Nigeria are in dare need of the humanitarian aid and 1.5 million people are completely displaced from their homes due largely to the activities of the insurgents. An estimated 3.5 million people need food security and more shelter. Already 9 percent are being supported with the needed humanitarian support by the host community and various other humanitarian supporters in the country”
On UN interventions in Nigeria, he said, “We have over 400 humanitarian workers from the United Nations working in Nigeria to provide emergency humanitarian aid and support. We are glad to say none of our workers have been consumed by the insurgency in the North-east. We work closely with the Nigerian government in providing the needed humanitarian aid and with several other non-governmental organizations”
He added: “we are working out programmes for children in order to ensure that children still in the Internally Displaced Camps still live up their dreams. We have tents in the various camps where we offer support learning services for children in the camps so that they are not completely shut out in living their dreams”
He noted further that: “technology could help us in sharing stories of suffering people and human suffering. We can contribute our efforts in mobilizing others to respond better to human suffering around us and mobilizing more financial support from donors. Let us also join the campaign in bringing more awareness to the grass root and in reaching out to the wider public. technology and the media could offer a platform for motivation and giving hope to the suffering world.”
