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Tag: Sadiya Farouq

  • FG loses $6.88bn in 2022 to flood disaster – World Bank Report

    FG loses $6.88bn in 2022 to flood disaster – World Bank Report

    … Hits 4.7 m Nigerians

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    A World Bank Post Disaster Grade Assessment Report on 2022 Flooding in Nigeria released by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has shown that Nigeria lost at least N6.81 billion to flood last year.

    The report was launched on Friday in Abuja by the Minister of Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs Social Development and Disaster Management, Sadiya Umar Farouq who said that the objective of the Global Rapid Damage Estimation Note, developed by the World Bank’s Disaster-Resilience Analytics and Solutions team, was to assess the economic impact of the June-November 2022 floods in the country.

    The Grade Assessment Report analysis estimates that the total direct economic damages, based on currently reported statistics as of November 25th are in the range of US$3.79 billion to US$9.12 billion with the best (median) estimate at US$6.68 billion.

    This includes damages to residential and non-residential buildings (including building contents), as well as damages to infrastructure, productive sectors and to cropland.

    According to the Minister, the GRADE assessment gives an overview of the nature of the flood disaster and its impact across Nigeria as well as sectoral and State-by-State effects critical for planning.

    According to the Key findings of the GRADE report, all the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory were affected by the 2022 flood in Nigeria with varying degrees of damages and people affected.

    Meanwhile, Farouq explained that about 4.9 million persons were affected by the floods as of November 25th, 2022 causing significant damage to infrastructure including roads, irrigation and river infrastructure as well as WASH and electricity infrastructure with around $1.23 billion ($0.959-$1.724 billion) in damage expected.

    She called on the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) including MDAs in all tiers of government to utilize the GRADE Assessment to plan the recovery and rehabilitation of victims of the flood, adding that the report can also be used to ameliorate the plight of victims of the 2022 flood.

    Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Dr Nasir Sani -Gwarzo stated the GRADE approach is a collaboration of stakeholders like NIMET, NARDA, NIHSA, NSCDC and the GRADE assessment was conducted between Nov 14-28, 2022 after the flood water had receded in most parts in the country from June to November 2022.

    The World Bank delivered the Grade Report on time in November 2022 and the Ministry through NEMA has started implementing some of the findings of the report, he added.
     

    The GRADE report is a vital tool to understanding the effects of the flood on people, their coping capacity and who are the most vulnerable groups.

    It can also be used to identify the most urgent recovery needs and the best methods of the reconstruction of critical sector/infrastructure, the ministry said.

  • Budget Padding: Senate, Ministers Battle Over 206bn

    Budget Padding: Senate, Ministers Battle Over 206bn

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq, has disclosed that the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, added N206bn to the humanitarian ministry’s budget.

    Farouq, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Special Duties on Monday to defend the 2023 budget, revealed that the ministry requested some projects for the North East Development Commission and the National Social Safety Net Project in the 2022 budget, which were not released, but was surprised to see an inflated amount in the 2023 budget of the ministry.

    The budget defense was soured when Senator Elisha Abbo (APC Adamawa North) asked the minister about the inflated N206bn in the budget.

    The minister said, “Yes, we made mention of the projects for 2022 that were not released, and part of it was for the NEDC. 

    “The money was not released, and now that we have seen it recurring by almost 10-fold, we are also going to seek clarification from the Ministry of Finance to know why the increase occurred despite the fact that the previous year, the money requested wasn’t released for the projects. So, we will get the details and then send them to you.”

    Also on Thursday, the defence minister also told the senate that Ahmed inserted a total of 11bn into its 2023 budget; the minister of health also accused her of budget padding.

    Abbo, who expressed shock at the minister’s revelation, stated, “This is serious. We cannot continue to borrow money and plunge this country into debt for our children to come and pay without investing in what they will see.”

    The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Yusuf Yusuf, moved a motion to summon the finance minister to explain the N206bn inserted in the budget.

  • Ministry begins enumeration of GEEP 2.0 beneficiaries, trains NSIP Managers on Digitalization

    Ministry begins enumeration of GEEP 2.0 beneficiaries, trains NSIP Managers on Digitalization

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has announced that enumeration of the beneficiaries of GEEP 2.0 , Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme begins on May 12.
    Also the ministry has commenced a 3 Day Advanced training on Digitalization and Registration for Managers and Master Trainers of the National Social Investment Programme, NSIP.

    The Humanitarian minister, Sadiya Farouq who was represented by the National Coordinator NSIP, Dr. Umar Bindir at the opening of the training said that the aim of the training programme is to introduce digitization with modern software and working tools to the Programme Managers and Master Trainers.

    Farouq explained that GEEP has been restructured for digital compliance to enable trainers to align with the latest trends
    in modern technology adding that this is ta fulfillment President Buhari’s desire to lift 100 million persons out of poverty.

    “Poverty is an issue for our country and unfortunately, it is very high. We are on the GEEP level. We have Focal Persons of all the states and the National Orientation Agency also represented here. We want to have the first crack at trying to register and document all the beneficiaries in a seamless but transparent process.”
    “We must now learn that this pool of poor Nigerians need to be properly identified and documented.”
    According to the minister the repayment of the interest free loan at the expiration of its tenure is a function of efficiency and success.

    The Team Lead of GEEP, Zainab Musawa who presented an overview of the Advance Training on Digitization and Registration for Programme Managers and Master Trainers stated that the training will provide a comprehensive framework for the enhancement of the beneficiaries’ registration processes and implementation of digital transformation of the programme delivery throughout the GEEP 2.0 lifespan.

  • UN backs Humanitarian ministry’s Home grown School Feeding Programme with ICT

    UN backs Humanitarian ministry’s Home grown School Feeding Programme with ICT

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju

    To ensure the successful implementation of the Federal Government’s National Home Grown School Feeding Programme project, United Nations World Food Programme, WFP, has supported the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipments.

    The items were handed over by the Country Director of WFP, Ronald Sibanda to the minister Sadiya Farouq in Abuja.
    While the official handing over of the items to the ministry, Sibanda said, “On behalf of WFP, I am delighted to be here today to handover this ICT equipment and the publication of the Joint Assessment of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Porgramme that we conducted together.”
    Sibanda said “”.The items which include; 150 Nos. of Samsung Galaxy Tab A 8.4, 8Nos. of Lenovo Thinkpad T480 14 inches, 2 Nos. of Lenovo Monitors 24 inches, 3Nos. HP LaserJet Pro Multifunction M428fdw Wireless Laser Printer, and 3Nos. of Samsung 55 inches LED Smart TV were delivered to the Ministry to help improve, scale up and sustain the School Feeding Programme in Nigeria.

    While commending the programme as the largest School Feeding Programme in Africa, Sibanda noted that since the launch in 2015, it has made commendable achievements by providing nutritious meals to 9.8 million pupils in 56,000 public primary schools, engaging and empowering local smallholder farmers and 107,000 cooks nationwide.

    He urged Nigeria to share its experience on the School Feeding Programme with other African Countries, and emphazied WFP readiness to continue to provide technical support and policy advice to the Ministry to achieve the aims and objectives of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.

    While receiving the items, Farouq who was represented by the National Coordinator, National Social Investment Programme ,NSIP, Engr. Umar Bindir Ph.D appreciated the contributions of the United Nations World Food Programme noting that it is as index of good partnership and cooperation.
    He further stated that partnering with the International Organization as a global brand is an indication that the Ministry is implementing the programme the right way in accordance with the directives of President Buhari’s vision of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
    He said that the success of the programme has triggered the World Food Programme to partner with the ministry.

  • FG partners UN to step up School Feeding Programme to fight Malnutrition

    FG partners UN to step up School Feeding Programme to fight Malnutrition

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju

    The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, FMHADMSD, said it is partnering the United Nations World Food Programme, UN WFP to take the National Home- Grown School Feeding Programme, NHGSFP, to the next level to fight malnutrition among school children as schools reopen nationwide.

    In a press release from the ministry, made available to Daybreak today, the ministry said took the decision after a joint assessment conducted in the first quarter of 2021 to identify ways of improving, scaling-up and sustaining the NHGSFP.

    The Minister Sadiya Farouq said, “The NHGSFP remains an important intervention of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.” Through it hunger, malnutrition, poverty, education can all be addressed, adding that it is fully the Federal Government has fully funded the programme because it is a potential development driver.

    We at the FMHADMSD are here to ensure that this programme is strengthened and sustained so that it can continue to support the needs of the children, families, women and communities it targets, the minister emphasized.

    The technical support from the World Food Programme is therefore timely, relevant and well appreciated.
    WFP Country Director, Ronald Sibanda said, “One of the best ways of fighting hunger and preventing malnutrition among children is to provide them with a healthy school meal.”
    Sibanda commended Nigerian Government for investing resources and funding into the design and implementation of its National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.
    This is a great initiative and WFP is very pleased to provide technical support for the Government of Nigeria, he assured.

    Home Grown School Feeding initiatives promote nutrition education and better eating habits and also encourages the diversification of production with a special emphasis on local crops.

    Through it’s technical support WFP is backing the next stage of the food programme with a significant transfer of ICT equipment which includes tablets with access to the PLUS Schools Menus – a free tool to help state Nutrition Officers design nutritious menus for schools.

    The hardware is to support the Ministry’s efforts to digitalize its monitoring and evaluation system, and also aid the national roll out of the PLUS School Menu Tool developed by WFP to standardize cost-effective menu development.

    Daybreak reports that over 9 million students in 53,000 public primary schools, enjoyed the school meals in 2021, making it one of the largest school feeding programmes in Africa.

  • School Feeding Programme address child malnutrition, boost local economy – Sadiya Farouq

    School Feeding Programme address child malnutrition, boost local economy – Sadiya Farouq

    By Joyce Remi- Babayeju

    Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has said that the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme will address the problem of malnutrition among children in Nigeria.

    In a press release signed by Halima Oyelade , SA Strategy Communications of the ministry made available to Daybreak Farouq disclosed this on Thursday June 17th in Ilorin during a courtesy visit to Gov. AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman.

    The Minister, who was represented by the Special Assistant to the President on the National Social Investment Programme (SAPNSIP), Dr Nasiru Mahmud, said that they were in the State to assess the preparedness of the State for the implementation of National Home Grown School Feeding Programme.

    She noted that one of objectives of the programme was to address the problem of malnutrition among school pupils in Nigeria.
    The minister explained that research has shown that malnutrition among Nigerian children was high, adding that through the school feeding programme, the problem is being addressed.

    She added that another objective of the programme is to boost local economy because the food is bought from local farmers and vendors, saying that it creates a long value chain.

    According to the minister the national ongoing school feeding programme is one of the four interventions implemented under the National Social Investment Programme, adding that Kwara is one of the two states in Nigeria that are not enrolled into the programme.

    “The Ministry is concerned and came down to Kwara to assess the level of preparedness of the State to commence the programmme and the necessary support the State requires for the programme to take-off.”

    “We are happy with what we have seen, the state government is ready for the programme.”

    “Over 1, 500 public primary schools have been identified and over 96, 000 pupils of primary one to three spread across the 16 local government areas of the State will benefit.”

    The role of federal government is to provide money for the feeding and make sure the States comply with set guidelines for implementing the programmme.”the Minister said.

    In her Response, Hajia Bashirat Abdulrazaq, the State Focal person, National Social Investment Programme in Kwara, assured the Minister’s team of the state government’s readiness for the programme.

    She said over 1,947 cooks were on ground to benefit from the programme, adding that there would be revalidation as the programme goes on, adding that the programme will boost the enrollment of pupils and reduce malnutrition among children in the State.

    She disclosed that some cooks employed were the parents of the school pupils, so as the parents benefit, the children benefit and the poor farmers who are the fathers also benefit.

    “So we target the poor vulnerable people to eradicate poverty in Nigeria,” she said.

    Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq commended the federal government for the programme.

    AbdulRazaq, who was represented by his deputy, Kayode Alabi, commended the Federal Government for initiating the programme to reduce the number of out of school children while also helping local farmers and create employment opportunities.
    The governor assured the team of the State government’s support and cooperation.

  • Sadiya Farouq denies report of N2.67bn school feeding money found in private accounts

    Sadiya Farouq denies report of N2.67bn school feeding money found in private accounts

    The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq has denied reports that the N2.67bn school feeding money was found in private accounts.

    The Chairman of ICPC, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye in series of tweets via it’s official Twitter account had said the agency uncovered N2.67bn school feeding programme fund paid into private accounts.

    According to Owasanoye “We discovered payment of N2.67bn during lockdown when the children were not in school, and some money ended up in personal accounts.”

    He further revealed that the agency has commenced investigations into these findings.

    Reacting, Farouq in a statement released by her special assistant on media and publicity, Nneka Ikem Anibeze, said the school feeding in question is different from the homegrown school feeding program which is one of the humanitarian ministry’s social investment programs (SIP).

    She insisted that the other cases of fraud mentioned by the ICPC have nothing to do with her ministry.

    The minister also urged the general public to disregard the false reports being linked to the ministry as it is not in any way involved in the Federal Government Colleges School Feeding.

    ”The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development hereby inform the public that the Federal Government Colleges school feeding in question is different from the Home Grown School Feeding which is one of its Social Investment Programmes.

    “The School Feeding under scrutiny is feeding of students in Federal Government Colleges across the country and is not under the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs which only oversees Home Grown School Feeding for children in Primaries 1-3 in select public schools across the country.

    “The N2.5 billion which was reportedly misappropriated by a senior civil servant (name withheld) took place in a different ministry and not the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

    “The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development calls on The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC to publish the names of persons, federal colleges and school heads whose names have been found to be associated with the missing funds and also freeze the accounts where the said funds were diverted.

    “The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs also calls on the general public to disregard the false reports being linked to the ministry as it is not in any way involved in the Federal Government Colleges School Feeding,” the statement said.