Niger Says No Food Crisis, Threatens To Expel NGOs

NIAMEY – Niger has accused aid agencies of exaggerating the threat of severe food shortages next year to boost their funds and threatened to expel any organisation operating without government blessing.

Health Minister Ary Ibrahim said reports of a looming crisis were aimed at harming Niger, after a World Food Programme dossier warned last week that millions of people could face severe food shortages if donor countries let aid funding slip.

This year's crisis left an estimated 3.6 million people short of food -- a third of the population -- after drought and locusts ravaged Niger's harvest in late 2004. Malnutrition threatened the lives of tens of thousands of children.

"After a good rainy season, the food crisis is finished," Ibrahim told a news conference late on Monday. "I categorically deny these tendentious reports aimed at discrediting our country.

"We will not allow an NGO or any other organisation to manage funds behind our backs and make publicity, propaganda even, to raise money."

Despite accusing aid groups of exaggeration, the government has recognised that nearly 2 million people could face difficulties in 2006 due to late crop sowing, an early halt to rains and soil erosion.

"Any NGO or other international organisation which does not go via us to support our hospitals or health centres will simply be expelled," Ibrahim said.

"All necessary steps will be taken to end such scheming."

The government has launched an investigation to discover why NGOs have spent only 4 billion CFA francs ($7.2 million) from 50 billion raised to tackle the crisis, Ibrahim said.

While last year's cereal harvest fell 223,000 tonnes short of the population's estimated requirements, Niger has said that thanks to better rains this year it expects to have a surplus of 21,000 tonnes.

The central region of Maradi and Zinder in the west, which were hard hit by last year's crisis, are also expected to have considerable surpluses this year.