By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Federal Government launched the distribution of food and nutrition items in Benue State under the Presidential Initiative for Food and Nutrition Assistance, reaffirming its commitment to tackling hunger, displacement and rising poverty in conflict-affected communities.

The flaging-off the distribution Thursday in Makurdi, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, said the intervention underscored the administration’s determination to protect citizens facing hardship due to insecurity and disrupted livelihoods.

Dr. Doro said, “Today’s event is not merely ceremonial. It is a demonstration of the Federal Government’s firm resolve to stand with communities affected by displacement, insecurity, communal conflicts, and livelihood disruptions.”

He acknowledged that Benue, once celebrated as the nation’s food basket, had suffered significant setbacks in recent years due to herders’ attacks, armed violence and destruction of farmlands, leading to reduced agricultural productivity and mounting humanitarian needs.

“These challenges have weakened food systems and placed enormous strain on thousands of households, especially women, children, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and Internally Displaced Persons,” the Minister stated.

The Minister Doro noted that while global humanitarian funding is shrinking, Nigeria would not retreat from its responsibility to vulnerable citizens.

“We are aware of the funding constraints currently affecting global humanitarian systems. However, the Federal Government remains resolute. We will not allow humanitarian gaps to widen, and we will not abandon vulnerable citizens in their time of need,” he said.

He explained that the distribution formed part of a broader reform strategy known as the One Humanitarian–One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS), which seeks to connect emergency relief to sustainable poverty-reduction measures.

“Affected populations must not receive only one-off support. Humanitarian assistance must serve as a bridge into structured social protection and sustainable poverty-exit pathways he emphasized.

According to him, beneficiaries captured under the initiative would be linked to conditional cash transfers, livelihood support programmes, skills development initiatives and micro-enterprise opportunities to restore dignity and self-reliance.

The Minister further announced plans to expand the National Social Register to ensure that vulnerable households in Benue were properly identified and integrated into federal social protection programmes.

In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, described the programme as a direct response to the worsening humanitarian situation in several Local Government Areas of the state.

He said “this intervention provides immediate food and nutrition support to households affected by displacement and other humanitarian shocks. It demonstrates the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting vulnerable populations and strengthening shock-responsive social protection.”

Governor Hyacinth Alia, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Sam Ode formally received the delegation, saying that the initiative came at a critical moment for the state, which continues to battle insecurity and its humanitarian fallout.

“Several communities have been attacked, leading to loss of lives, destruction of homes, and the displacement of thousands of our citizens into Internally Displaced Persons camps and host communities,” Alia said.

He listed rising food prices, loss of household incomes, increased malnutrition cases and overstretched social services as some of the indicators of the crisis confronting Benue.

Describing the programme as a “lifeline for thousands of vulnerable households,” the Governor assured that the state government had put in place mechanisms to guarantee transparency, accountability and equitable distribution.

“The food and nutrition items being distributed will help stabilize affected families, prevent severe acute malnutrition, and restore dignity and hope,” he said, while urging community leaders and implementing partners to uphold integrity throughout the exercise.