The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has expressed concern over the rising food crisis worsened by insecurity and flooding being experience across the country.
The concern is raised in a statement in Abuja on Sunday by the Executive Secretary of the commision, Chief Tony Ojukwu to mark this year’s World Food Day (WFD).
The statement issued by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Deputy Director Public Affairs in the commission noted that insecurity is chasing farmers from thier farm while flood has destroyed a lot of farmland across the country.
The statement noted that the situation partly associated with climate change has worsened access to healthy and nutritious food, leading to increase in widespread hunger and low quality of life and wellbeing of Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable group.
The Human Rights Boss observed that the development has become increasingly difficult for many citizens to make a decent living due to poor access to balanced diet, occasioned by escalating food prices resulting from insecurity and climate change.
“You will agree with me that Nigeria is undergoing severe food crisis fueled by climate change and insecurity in all parts of the country coupled with the current the Russia – Ukraine war that has affected importation of food items across the globe.
“With the current reality of rising prices of food items, many Nigerians may plunge deeper into poverty if proper measures are not put in place..
“I must tell you that the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPsz) are worst hit by the food crisis, our report of monitoring the human rights and humanitarian situation of IDPs in the North-East has since 2015, indicated that this population of concern suffer acute food and nutrition shortage and are seriously in need of assistance” Ojukwu said.
The NHRC CEO used the opportunity to disclose that the Commission has been partnering with relevant UN bodies such as UNDP, UNHCR as well as the European Union to carry out series of intervention programmes targeted towards providing humanitarian support to the vulnerable population, particularly in the North-East which is suffering the devastating effects of insurgency.
The Learned Silk who noted that this year’s theme “Leave No One Behind” is very apt, called on government and relevant stakeholders to up the efforts at ensuring adequate provision of food to every member of the human family without discrimination.
Ojukwu also urged government at all levels to stem insecurity to the barest minimum, prepare for climate change by strictly adhering to early warning signals to mitigate its effect on farmlands, as well as support and encourage farmers to migrate to mechanised farming to achieve bumper harvests and abundant food for all.
“Everyone deserves the right to enjoy adequate food and nutrition for survival, right to food is right to life, therefore all hands must be on deck to build a sustainable society where everyone has regular access to enough nutritional food, no one should be left behind,” Ojukwu stressed.
