Nigerian agriculture ministry workers ‘told to fast and pray' to end hunger crisis
Nigeria's agriculture ministry has called on staff to pray and fast to address the West African nation's hunger crises.
An internal memo sent late last week urged staff to participate in Monday lunchtime prayer and fasting sessions to seek 'divine intervention for protection and national development'.
The leaked memo prompted mockery on social media, where critics alleged it showed the country was not serious about tackling malnutrition and food shortages.
The circular signed by the director of human resources invited all staff 'to a solemn prayer session for God's guidance and success in supporting the government's efforts to achieve food security'.
Nigeria is Africa's most populous nation, but the World Food Programme (WFP) last year estimated that around 27 million of its 220 million population had a severe lack of food.
The ministry was quickly forced to clarify that the prayer circular did not represent official policy for finding a solution to the problem.
It said the prayer meetings had been suggested as a staff welfare and morale activity, after the untimely deaths of several employees.
A statement explained: 'The ministry wishes to inform that the prayer session is an initiative of the human resource department to address the well being of the staff, just as the already existing monthly aerobic exercise and establishment of the gymnasium in the ministry are for physical fitness [and] as the regular medical check-up of staff are for their health.'
'The prayer was to address the apprehensiveness of staff over the recent untimely and successive death of management staff of the ministry.'
WFP's 2024 report on Nigeria said entrenched insecurity in the north east, floods, and economic woes had all badly hit food supply.
The cost of basic food staples including sorghum, millet, maize, and wheat, climbed sharply over 2024, leaving many unable to feed themselves properly.
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