ECOWAS implements humanitarian assistance project as part of ECOWAS stabilization programme in northern Nigeria

The ECOWAS Commission, in collaboration with the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD), has concluded implementing the ECOWAS Humanitarian Assistance project in Northern Nigeria. The stabilization project was borne from the Fiftieth Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to respond to the serious humanitarian crisis in Northern Nigeria due to years of suffering caused by Boko Haram attacks.

The Nigeria Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and World Food Programme (WFP) entered into an agreement stipulating that ECOWAS would transfer $1 Million to WFP on behalf of FMHADMSD from its Regional Stabilization Fund to implement the project..

In his opening remarks at the project closure meeting, the Permanent Secretary, of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mr Bashir Nura Alkali, said that the project was initiated to support the efforts of President Buhari to address the humanitarian situation in the North-East and North-West Nigeria.

The Permanent Secretary added that the stabilization fund project implemented in six Local Government Areas across states in North-East and North-West Nigeria supported 27,432 persons in mitigating the effects of socioeconomic hardships. He further stated that the essence of this project closure meeting was to share lessons learned and to showcase best practices applied in the successful conception and implementation of the project.

On a related ECOWAS humanitarian support to Nigeria on the 2020 flood disaster, Mr Nura stated that the humanitarian assistance for flood victims in sixteen states across Nigeria provided more than 13,000 people with food and non-food materials.

The Commissioner, of Human Development and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Commission, Prof. Fatou Sow Sarr, whose speech was read by the Director of Humanitarian and Social Affairs, ECOWAS Commission  Dr. Sintiki Tarfa Ugbe, said it was a delight to achieve the successful closure of the humanitarian project as it has improved the overall humanitarian situation in the North-East and North-West Nigeria and enhanced the resilience of thousands of vulnerable people. He thanked the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development for being a diligent project conception partner and the World Food Programme and the Nigerian Red Cross Society for being reliable project implementation partners. He pledged the commitment of the ECOWAS Commission to work with FMHADMSD to implement other projects that will positively touch the lives of citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the ECOWAS, H.E. Ambassador Musa Nuhu represented by Mr. Muhammed Suleiman Isa, commended the ECOWAS Commission, FMHADMSD and implementation partners for the successful implementation of the stabilization project in Borno, Zamfara and Katsina states of Nigeria. Ambassador Nuhu encouraged ECOWAS Commission to continue to implement projects that directly impact the lives of the region’s citizens. He emphasised the need for more visibility for ECOWAS projects by the coordinating Ministries to ensure that the mandate of ″ECOWAS of the Peoples″ is achieved.