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Over 11 million people face starvation in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya.

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IFRC calls for “Immediate and expansive” action.

NO fewer than 11 million people in the Horn of Africa comprising Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya are facing severe hunger resulting from prolonged and worsening drought conditions.

These people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has called for an immediate and expansive response in order to prevent widespread drought conditions from triggering a humanitarian catastrophe.

“We are undoubtedly in a crisis, but the situation will even get worse, especially if the April rains perform poorly,” Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traoré, IFRC’s Regional Director for Africa. “We need to act decisively, we need to act massively, and we need to act now if we are to prevent a repeat of the awful scenes of 2011.”

Mega Icon Magazine gathered that the  situation is particularly severe in Somalia where nearly 40 per cent of the population now needs some form of humanitarian assistance and where deaths have already been reported in the country’s north.

Similarly, in Kenya, water sources have dried up, leading to large-scale loss of livestock, while in Ethiopia, the worst drought in half a century is further compounded by an influx of people fleeing Somalia.

The IFRC is, however calling on its partners in the region and globally to increase their support for Red Cross and Red Crescent emergency operations that are already underway, but that are hindered by low levels of funding. Additional funding will allow volunteers and staff present in the worst affected areas to better respond to immediate humanitarian needs, as well as begin rolling out initiatives designed to strengthen longer-term resilience.

The IFRC is appealing for a total sum of 13.7 million Swiss francs (about 13 million US dollars) for the three affected countries with a view to supporting nearly 475,000 people.

It was learnt that only about 22 per cent of the requested amount has been secured.

“This is the worst situation we have seen in the region since 2011, when more than a quarter of a million people died in Somalia alone,” said Dr Nafo-Traoré. “We have an opportunity to prevent suffering of a similar scale, but only if we act now.”

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Two-Thirds of Nigerians Can’t Afford Healthy Meals — NBS

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A recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the severe economic challenges faced by Nigerian households, revealing that two-thirds of the population struggle to afford healthy and nutritious meals. The survey, titled Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024), underscores the worsening multidimensional poverty and the erosion of purchasing power due to the persistent rise in the cost of goods and services.

The report shows that approximately 63.8% of households have been forced to eat only a few kinds of food due to financial constraints. About 62.4% of respondents admitted worrying about food insufficiency, while 60.5% ate less than they thought they should. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the last survey, as the proportion of households expressing food insecurity concerns rose from 36.9% in the previous wave to 62.4% in the current one.

Power Outages and Access to Energy

The survey also sheds light on the nation’s energy crisis, revealing that Nigerian households experience an average of 6.7 power blackouts per week. While 82.2% of urban households have access to electricity, the figure drops to 40.4% in rural areas.

Cooking remains predominantly dependent on traditional methods, with 65% of households using three-stone stoves and 70.2% relying on firewood. However, the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is reportedly increasing.

Sanitation and Asset Ownership

In terms of sanitation, the report highlights that many households still lack basic toilet facilities, relying on bushes or streets for waste disposal. Access to clean drinking water is often through tube wells or boreholes, reflecting a lack of formal infrastructure in many areas.

On asset ownership, the survey indicates a decline since 2018/19. While two-thirds of households own mobile phones, only 21.3% have internet access. Housing ownership remains significant, with 70.4% of households owning their homes—80.1% in rural areas compared to 49.1% in urban centers.

The NBS report provides a stark reminder of the challenges many Nigerians face daily, from food insecurity and power outages to inadequate sanitation and declining asset ownership. It calls for urgent policy interventions to address these critical issues and improve the living standards of the population.

 

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Ford Trims Workforce: 4,000 Jobs to Go in Europe

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(FILES) The logo of carmaker Ford is pictured on the sidelines of a warning strike called by metalworkers’ union IG Metall at the plant of carmaker Ford in Cologne, western Germany, on October 29, 2024. – US car manufacturer Ford on November 20, 2024 announced plans for 4,000 further job cuts in Europe, mostly in in the UK and Germany, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP)

US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.

“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.

The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.

“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.

The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.

Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.

 

Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.

 

“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.

 

Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.

The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.

Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.

 

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Tinubu Dissolves UNIZIK Council, Sacks VC, Registrar, Otukpo Pro-Chancellor

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President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.

The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.

A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.

According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.

The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.

“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.

In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.

Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.

Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.

The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.

Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.

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