The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, on Friday, launched the distribution of relief materials to over 2000 IDPs, including other victims of banditry in Zamfara.
Speaking at the launch, the Federal Commissioner in the Commission, Sen. Bashir Garba, said the gesture was part of the Federal Government’s efforts of assisting the IDPs and other victims of banditry in the state.
Represented by Muhammad Bello, the Deputy Director, Human Resource, in the Commission, the commissioner expressed the Federal Government’s commitments to safeguard the lives of the IDPs and other vulnerable groups.
The items distributed included food and non-food items: “The food items comprised Rice, Beans, Maize, Guinea corn, among others, while the Non-food items comprised mats, mattresses, cooking items, grinding and water pumping machines for irrigation.
“You know, the FG under President Muhammad Buhari, since its inception, has been demonstrating its commitments in improving the lives of IDPs and various disaster victims across the country.
“As we all know, apart from giving emergency relief assistance, the federal government has initiated various programmes, to provide shelter and empowerment support for IDPs all over the country.
“We are collaborating with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), very soon we will come up with programmes to give IDPs financial support, for them to embark on small and medium scale businesses”, the commissioner said.
He commended the Zamfara State Government for its support and cooperation with the commission.
In his remarks, Gov. Bello Matawalle commended the commission for the kind gesture to the IDPs, and assured of continued support and cooperation with the federal government, and other stakeholders, in supporting vulnerable groups, especially the IDPs
Matawalle, represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Sadiq Maiturare, further thanked the Federal Government for including Zamfara, among the four states in the country, to benefit from 600 housing units for IDPs.
He called on the beneficiaries to utilize the items given to them judiciously, while urging the people to continue praying and seeking Allah’s intervention in tackling the challenges of insecurity facing the state.
Earlier, the Special Adviser, to the Governor, on Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Fa’ika Ahmad, commended the Commission for the quick response in providing relief to disaster victims in the state.
Ahmad said the beneficiaries were from Anka, Zurmi, Gusau and Kaura-Namoda Local Government Areas of the state, pledging equitable distribution of the items to the beneficiaries.
Two beneficiaries, who spoke at the event, Malam Isah Shehu, and Maryam Sa’idu, thanked the Federal and State Governments for the gesture. (NAN)
