By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
Multiple Council chairperson, District 404, Nigeria, Lions Club International, Obo-Mesembe Edet, has stressed the need for government to revamp the country’s ailing agricultural sector and enact policies that would fight hunger, boost nutrition and wellness in country.
Edet gave the charge at the 45th Lions Day with the United Nations (LDUN) in Lagos recently, tagged, “Hunger, nutrition and wellness.”
She harped on the need for Nigeria to enact good policies, ramp up power supply for industrial food storage, increase local food production and decrease importation.
“Nigeria needs good government policies to drive food production and preservation in the country. Nigeria’s imminent food insecurity and the likelihood that the situation could worsen if various levels of government do not act fast,” she said.
Edet stated that the government has to strengthen ties with like-minded partners to find long-term solutions to challenges facing the country.
Explaining the significance of the 45th Lions Day with United Nations, (LDUN), she said it is basically the way to end hunger, improve nutrition and wellness in the country.
“Hunger is a problem without borders. Lions Club has initiated programmes and ideas that help us make huge strides by providing meals and nutrition for those in need, with the hopes that one day no child will ever have to live without knowing when their next meal will come,” she explained.
Edet added that Nigerian members of Lions Clubs International are part of this global event, because of the desire to reduce hunger, improve nutrition and wellness across the country.
“The Lions Club International has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with the United Nations. Although the Lions Club International was one of the first non-governmental organizations invited to assist in drafting the UN Charter in 1945 and each year since 1978, it has celebrated its unique relationship at Lions Day with United Nations.
“This dynamic event brings together Lions, Leos, UN diplomats and other global Leaders from government, businessmen, women and the non-profit sector to discuss the most pressing global humanitarian needs and create the innovative solutions necessary to respond to them.”
She said Lions Club International celebrated 77 years of partnership with the United Nations during Lions Day with the United Nations (LDUN). This event commemorates their long-standing relationship as a consultative NGO to the UN dating back to 1945, when Lion leaders were asked to help develop the NGO charter for the UN.
On her part, District Governor 404B1, Lion Club Kema- Benedicta Ashibuogwu, lamented over cash crunch that has increased the hunger in the country. According to her, there is need for government to focus on hunger and health challenges Nigerians are struggling with.
Ashibuogwu stated that the economy is so bad that the majority of the people can hardly feed or visit the hospital when confronted with health situations.
She added that part of the challenge included insecurities, that most farm produce available are been wasted because of the perishable state of the goods.
Also, she argued that the nonavailability of naira has posed the challenge of food insecurity as most of the farm produce get spoilt because of the inability to exchange cash for goods. This problem, she said, has placed Nigeria’s economy in a worrisome state.
She said: “I want the government to focus on hunger and health. The people are hungry, things are getting worse, people can’t feed and when they go to the hospital, there is nobody to attend to most of them, and some of them can’t even get money to buy drugs.
“The system is collapsing. If they can focus on these two areas, it will be helpful to Nigerians. There is a need to improve on the economy.”
Ashibuogwu added that a strong partnership between the United Nations and Lions has helped shape our past and will forge our future, saying: “I am confident that this unique forum of people, experiences, expertise and ideas has enabled us to be part of the global solution to addressing hunger in our nation. “Together we can ensure the health and wellbeing of our neighbours, family, communities and our the world.
“UN diplomats and other global leaders from government, business and the nonprofit sector assess the most pressing global humanitarian needs and create the innovative solutions necessary to respond.
“One of the most pressing and prevalent issues facing our world is hunger. More than 800 million people around the world are affected by hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition. We know that nutrition and wellness are critical building blocks of the future of our communities and that’s why Lions have made campaign against hunger one of our global causes. We must act now to address this global challenge together.”