The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) Nigeria has said it was targeting $1.05bn for humanitarian needs in the North-East ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgents.
This is as the leader of the Network of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Borno State (NECSOB) Ambassador Shehu Ahmed said the Oslo conference shows that the world cares for Nigeria and the Lake Chad region, hence the need for regional CSOs to play their part.
The UN-OCHA Representative in Nigeria Mrs Alta Bell made the disclosure on Friday in Abuja at the meeting of the Network of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Lake Chad region comprising Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroun.
“With respect to Nigeria, in the past year 2017, there was a humanitarian response plan that was developed and done in partnership with our partners and we looked at the need of the different north-east states and as a result we came up with a plan to respond to the critical needs which amount to $1.05bn.
“This is extremely large requirement however as a result of conferences like Oslo and other awareness raise the response was extremely generous with over $740m raised and mobilized to respond to needs and also another $200m which was also for humanitarian needs that is practically unprecedented. I have never worked in an emergency where such funds were raised. In 2017 we targeted 6.9m people and we were able to assist 5.1m people together with our local partners and this is an impressive achievement which could not have been done without the support of local partners.
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“We are also looking at 3000 humanitarian workers whether they are local NGOs or staff working with international NGOs because they are the frontline responders who are making the difference on the ground. In 2018 we are looking at another $1.05bn to respond to need, we need to maintain the momentum of last year and also to strengthen our partnership with local NGOs and civil societies which would also involve capacity building and we are also working to increase the number of our local partners from 12 to 24,” Bell said.
She said the anniversary of the Oslo Conference which was in February 2017 was a catalyst on the importance of the CSOs and their roles and giving voice to the people and that the organisation has place priority and strengthening local partnership.
Also speaking a representative of the DFID Elizabeth Sara said though the organisation is working mostly in Borno and Yobe states, there are plans to extend its humanitarian works to other parts of the North-east.
She however tasked CSOs and donors to evolve a third party monitoring and to also ensure effective feedback to correct anomalies so as to fast-track service delivery, stability and growth.
