The Federal Government of Nigeria has said that it will distribute 40,000 metric tons of food including rice, maize sorghum and soya beans, to displaced persons in the country’s northeast. This is in line with plans to reach 1.8 million people in the region where attacks by militant insurgency have weakened the economy and have almost driven the population to famine.

The operation estimated to cost about N8billion ($25 million), will involve the distribution of 50 kilograms of grains on a monthly basis to each family in the region, according to a statement from the office of the Acting President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo.

“The new plan is expected to correct many of the lapses observed in delivering relief to the displaced people,” the statement reads.

This new development follows announcement by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to cut emergency feeding of 400, 000 people in the northeast, due to a funding shortfall.

“The plan was from the beginning to reach 1.8 million (people) this year but due to the funding constraints WFP has been forced to come up with a contingency plan,” Peter Lundberg, U.N.'s Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria said.

The Intergovernmental body has said it needs $1.05 billion this year to resolve the humanitarian crisis, but so far it has only gotten just over a quarter of the money.

Anita Fatunji