The Senate on Wednesday, 20th July 2016 called on the Federal Government (FG)to ensure the immediate release of funds to tackle issues of malnutrition in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps across the country. The resolution came after a motion moved by Sen. Babakaka Bashir Garbai (APC:Borno) informed the Senate that a delegation sent to visit the family of late Dr. Shettima Ali Mungono, former Minister of the First Republic also visited an IDP camp in Borno in the course of the condolence exercise. According to him, the delegation was said to have been appalled at the poor sanitary and health conditions of the camp.
Furthermore, Sen. Garbai drew attention to a recent report of Medecins Sans Frontiers (Doctors without Borders) which documented cases of severe malnutrition and deaths of children in IDP camps. The report alleges that 5 children die every hour in IDP camps due tomalnutrition.He was also disturbed that over 530 children had been admitted and treated for malnutrition by the United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) between January to May, 2016. Consequently, it was pertinent for the FG to take immediate action and reduce the high incidence of death in IDP camps. Food shortages being experienced was explained as being linked to the ongoing insurgency in the North East; which prevents farmers from accessing their farms.
Contributing to the motion, Senate majority leader Sen. Ali Ndume (APC:Borno) acknowledged that international agencies of the United Nations such as UNICEF and the Red Cross had alerted relevant authorities on the issue but that no action has been taken. He also noted that State and local governments were incapacitated to deal with the issueas received revenue was currently being used to pay workers salaries.
The Senate also mandated the Senate Committee on Special duties to carry out a fact -finding visit to other IDP camps in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.
