Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
The United Nations has complained of paucity of funds as the major factor responsible for it’s inability to fully address humanitarian challenges in crisis ridden North-east region of Nigeria.
The organisation, in the August Humanitarian Situation Update on North-east, said it has been difficult to address food needs in the region as 30 per cent of needed fund has been received.
UN said 5.2 million people need food security in the area with 5.1 million people targeted but an average of 3.4 million people reached with 30 per cent funding received so far.
This had left 1.8 million people un-accessed and at the mercy of starvation.
It stated that 3.4 million people were in need of nutrition assistance and 2.7 million people targeted for nutrition assistance but 761,500 reached with 84 per cent of fund need received.
It further stated that in the area of health, 6.9 million people were in need of health services in the North-east region with 5.9 million people targeted for health services but 4.2 million people reached in 2017 with health services and only 20 per cent of funding required received.
The organisation said 6.1 million people were in need of protection assistance in the North-east in 2017 with 2.4 million people targeted but 1.8 million people reached as only 27 per cent of required funding received.
In education, 2.9 million children were in need of education services in crisis ridden region with 1.6 million targeted but 895,950 reached with 12 per cent funding required received.
It also revealed that in the area of water, sanitation, hygiene need, 3.9 million people were in need in the North-east with 2 million targeted but 1.3 million people reached with 36 per cent of required funds received.
